National Vaccination Day

Syllabus: GS2/Health; GS3/Science and Tech

Context

• India marked National Vaccination Day (March 16) to highlight achievements in immunisation.
  • The day is observed to commemorate the first dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine administered in 1995 under the Pulse Polio Programme.

About

• Vaccination has played a transformative role in improving public health in India. The country has eradicated smallpox (1977) and eliminated polio (last case in 2011), yaws, and maternal & neonatal tetanus. 
• It has significantly reduced child mortality and the burden of diseases such as measles-rubella and tuberculosis.
• India emerged as the “pharmacy of the world” during COVID-19, administering over 200 crore vaccine doses and supplying vaccines globally. Notably, India contributes nearly 60% of global vaccine production.

Outcomes

• Vaccination along with improvements in nutrition, sanitation, and healthcare, has significantly improved maternal and child survival rates in India.
  • Full immunisation coverage increased from 62% (2015) to 98.4% (January 2026);
  • Zero-dose children reduced from 0.11% (2023) to 0.06% (2024);
  • Over 1.3 crore immunisation sessions conducted annually;
  • Recognised globally as a model for large-scale public health delivery.

Government Initiatives

• The Universal Immunisation Programme: Launched in 1985 and implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it aims to provide free vaccines to children and pregnant women against various diseases.
  • The programme reaches about 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.54 crore newborns every year.
• Mission Indradhanush: It was launched in December 2014 by the Government of India to reach children and pregnant women who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
• Recent Initiatives (2026)
  • HPV Vaccination Campaign: Targets ~1.15 crore girls (14 years) for cervical cancer prevention.
  • Indigenous Td Vaccine: Manufactured at CRI, Kasauli; ~55 lakh doses planned for supply.
• Digital Initiatives:
  • eVIN: Real-time vaccine stock and temperature tracking;
  • U-Win: Digital vaccination registry and tracking platform;
  • CoWIN: Enabled administration of 220+ crore COVID vaccine doses.

Challenges

• Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation: Despite high coverage, pockets of resistance persist due to misinformation and cultural beliefs, contributing to the presence of zero-dose children (~0.06% in 2024), especially in certain regions.
• Last-mile delivery gaps: Reaching remote, tribal, and conflict-affected areas remains difficult, even though India conducts over 1.3 crore immunisation sessions annually under the UIP.
• Cold chain maintenance issues: India operates one of the largest vaccine cold chain systems with ~30,000 cold chain points and over 1.06 lakh equipment units, making uninterrupted temperature maintenance in difficult terrains a logistical challenge.
• Urban slum coverage gaps: High population mobility and informal settlements in urban areas lead to missed or partially immunised children, posing challenges for achieving universal coverage.

Source: PIB