UNICEF – Report Misrepresents Bharat’s Immunization Data on Zero-Dose Children
New Delhi. Ministry of Health said that the UNICEF report which highlights that Bharat has a high number of zero-dose children depicts an incomplete picture of the country’s immunization data.
In a statement, the Union Health Ministry said the media reports claiming Bharat has a high number of ‘zero-dose children’- children who did not receive any vaccine, do not factor in the population base and immunization coverage of the countries compared. The Ministry added that the report presents a flawed comparison with countries without considering Bharat’s population and high vaccination coverage. It emphasized that the accurate and complete narrative of the immunization efforts of the government can be gauged through a comprehensive understanding of the relative data and programmatic interventions.
The Ministry highlighted that, as a percentage of the total population, zero-dose children account for 0.11 percent of the country’s total population. It observed that due to Bharat’s large population size, it has the highest number of vaccinated children across countries. The Health Minister asserted that the country’s full immunization coverage for the financial year 2023-24 stands at 93.23 percent and Bharat’s Immunisation Programme is the largest Public Health Initiative globally.
The statement also noted that the programme targets a massive cohort of 2.6 crore children and 2.9 crore pregnant women annually through 1.2 crore vaccination sessions. Under Mission Indradhanush, 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women have been vaccinated till 2023.
