The Union Health Ministry on Saturday reported a decline in the number of ‘zero-dose’ children in the last year. ‘Zero-dose’ children are those who have not received a single vaccination shot. According to the press statement, between 2023 and 2024, the percentage of ‘zero dose’ children to the total population has declined from 0.11% to 0.06%.
The ministry credited the drop to the continued, strong implementation of the nationwide vaccination drive, spearheaded by frontline health workers — ASHAs and ANMs. Under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), these grassroots workers provide free vaccines annually to around 2.6 crore infants (aged 0–1 year) and 2.9 crore pregnant women.
The official document reported a significant decline in child deaths and illness from preventable diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, meningitis, and encephalitis — a result of wider vaccine coverage among infants. The Health Ministry highlighted key initiatives aimed at improving vaccine coverage, including the Zero Dose Implementation Plan 2024, Mission Indradhanush, national immunization days, and regular outreach and awareness campaigns conducted in coordination with states and union territories.
These efforts specifically focus on reaching zero-dose children in urban slums, peri-urban areas, migratory populations, hard-to-reach regions, and communities affected by vaccine hesitancy.
“To amplify our reach, we are leveraging technology and community engagement. The U-WIN platform tracks immunization status digitally, ensuring no child is missed. Public awareness campaigns are being intensified using mass media, community radio, social media, and even street plays to educate families. Healthcare workers, ASHAs, and ANMs will go door-to-door, not just to vaccinate, but to sensitize the beneficiaries about the benefits of vaccination,” read the statement.
However, a new analysis published in The Lancet on June 25 by the Global Burden of Disease Vaccine Coverage Collaborators estimates that India had 1.44 million zero-dose children in 2023, the second-highest globally, after Nigeria. The finding underscores the persistent challenges in reaching all children in the Indian landscape and highlights the need for a stronger push to improve vaccine delivery.