WHO Report on Global Immunisation

• 04 May 2024

For Prelims: Vaccination, Public health Interventions, Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), National Health Family Survey, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), Mission Indradhanush, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), Accredited Social Health Activist.

For Mains: Global Immunization Programme, Significance of Indian Vaccination Programmes

Source: WHO

Why in News?

Recently, a study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that Global Immunisation efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives over the past 50 years.

• The Report was released on the occasion of World Immunization Week, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to take place in May 2024.

What are the Key Findings of the Report?

• Report shows that Immunization is the single greatest contribution of any health intervention to ensuring healthy lives of babies.
• Measles vaccination:
  • Nearly 94 million of the estimated 154 million lives saved since 1974, were a result of protection by measles vaccines.
    • There are still 33 million children who missed a measles vaccine dose in 2022.
  • Currently, the global coverage rate of the first dose of measles vaccine is 83% and the second dose is 74%, contributing to a very high number of outbreaks across the world.
    • Coverage of 95% or greater with 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine is needed to protect communities from outbreaks.
  • It accounts for 60% of the lives saved due to immunisation and the vaccine likely remain the top contributor to preventing deaths in the future.
• Coverage for DPT Vaccine:
  • Before the launch of EPI, less than 5% of infants globally had access to routine immunisation.
  • Today, 84% of infants are protected with 3 doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP).
    • DPT refers to a class of combined vaccines given to protect against three infectious diseases in humans (diphtheria, pertussis or whooping cough and tetanus).
• Reduced Infant Deaths:
  • 40% Reduction in infant death for 14 diseases like Diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B, Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, measles, meningitis A, pertussis, invasive pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus, rubella, tetanus, tuberculosis, and yellow fever.
  • Above 50% reduction in the African Region over the past 50 years.
• Eradication and Containment of Disease:
  • Wild poliovirus cases have decreased by over 99% since 1988. Of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type 1, type 2 and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 1999 and wild poliovirus type 3 was eradicated in 2020.
  • India was declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2014.
  • Vaccines against malaria and cervical cancer have been highly effective in containment of these diseases.
• Gain in Full Health Years:
  • For each life saved through immunisation, an average of 66 years of full health were gained.
  • With a total of 10.2 billion full health years gained over the five decades.

What is the Status of Immunization In India?

• About:
  • India's immunisation programme, UIP (Universal Immunization Programme), is one of the world's most extensive public health programmes.
  • Under the UIP, India annually vaccinated more than 30 million pregnant women and 27 million children.
    • A child is considered fully immunised if they receive all the required vaccines as per the national immunisation schedule within their first year of life.
• Status:
  • The country was certified polio-free in 2014 and eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015.
  • New vaccines, including the Measles-Rubella, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) and Rotavirus Vaccine (RVV), have been introduced and expanded nationwide.
  • According to UNICEF, only 65% of children in India receive full immunisation during the first year of their life.
  • Also, as per the latest WUENIC (WHO-UNICEF Estimates National Immunization Coverage) estimates, India has successfully reduced the number of zero-dose (ZD) children to 1.1 million in 2022 from 2.7 million in 2021, covering an additional 1.6 million children with life-saving vaccination.
    • Zero-dose refers to children who failed to receive any routine vaccination.
    • 63% of ZD children live in the five states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Mission Indradhanush (MI) was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) in 2014 with the aim to vaccinate all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under UIP.
    • Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) has been launched to bring down the number of zero-dose children.
• Other Supporting Measures:
  • Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN)
  • National Cold Chain Management Information System (NCCMIS).
• Challenges:
  • Lack of Access:
    • In 2022, 14.3 million infants did not receive the first DPT vaccine globally, pointing to a lack of access to immunisation and other health services.
    • Of the 20.5 million who are either not vaccinated or partially vaccinated, nearly 60% of children live in 10 countries, including India.
  • Death by Infectious Diseases:
    • It contributes to a significant proportion of child mortality and morbidity.
    • Nearly one million children die before their fifth birthday.
    • Many of these deaths are preventable and can be averted by interventions such as breastfeeding, immunisation and access to treatment.
  • Full Coverage Goal Still to Achieve: According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, 2019-21, the country's full immunisation coverage stands at 76.1%.
    • It means that one out of every four children is missing out on essential vaccines.

What is the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)?

• Background:
  • The Expanded Programme on Immunization was launched in 1978. It was renamed as Universal Immunization Programme in 1985 when its reach was expanded beyond urban areas.
  • Since the launch of the National Rural Health Mission in 2005, the Universal Immunization Programme(UIP) has always been an integral part of it.
• About:
  • Under UIP, immunisation is provided free of cost against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases.
    • Nationally Against 9 Diseases: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B.
    • Sub-nationally Against 3 Diseases: Rotavirus diarrhoea, Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Japanese Encephalitis.

What are the Major Global Initiatives Related to Immunization?

• Immunization Agenda 2030
• World Immunization Week
• Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI):
  • It was founded in 1974 by the World Health Assembly.
  • EPI's original goal was to vaccinate all children against diphtheria, measles, pertussis, polio, tetanus, tuberculosis, as well as smallpox, the only human disease ever eradicated.
  • It includes universal recommendations to vaccinate against 13 diseases, and context-specific recommendations for another 17 diseases, extending the reach of immunisation beyond children, to adolescents and adults.

Drishti Mains Question:

Discuss the importance of vaccination for healthcare, particularly in developing countries like India. Also, discuss the measures taken by India to ensure universal immunisation of our population.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims:

Q. ‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of India pertains to (2016)

(a)  immunization of children and pregnant women 
(b)  construction of smart cities across the country 
(c) India’s own search for the Earth-like planets in outer space 
(d) New Educational Policy 

Ans: (a) 

Q. Which of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’? (2017)

1. To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.
2. To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.
3. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.
4. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) 3 and 4 only

Ans: (a)

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Mains:

Q. Can the vicious cycle of gender inequality, poverty and malnutrition be broken through microfinancing of women SHGs? Explain with examples. (2021)