India recorded 1.44 million “zero-dose” children in 2023—those who did not receive even a single routine vaccine—placing it second globally after Nigeria, according to a joint WHO–UNICEF report.
The global number of zero-dose children rose to 15.7 million in 2023, up by 1.7 million from 2019. While India’s count dropped from 2.7 million in 2021, the figure remains significant and highlights vaccination gaps in marginalized and hard-to-reach populations.
In response, the Ministry of Health has launched the Zero-Dose Implementation Plan 2024, focused on 143 districts across 11 states with the highest concentrations of unvaccinated children. Officials emphasized that these 1.6 million represent just 0.11% of India’s population, and noted that national immunization coverage remains above global averages, with 93% for the first dose of DTP compared to the global average of 89%.
The initiative builds on existing campaigns like Mission Indradhanush, aiming to close the gap and ensure no child is left without protection from vaccine-preventable diseases.