India Surpasses its All-time High of 91% DPT3 coverage in 2019

A significant improvement from the 85 percent recorded in 2021, India recorded 93 percent DPT3 coverage last year, surpassing the all-time high pre-pandemic coverage of 91 percent in 2019. The third dose of the diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus vaccine is referred to as DPT3 coverage, and it is used all over the world to measure vaccination rates. The coverage rate for DPT3 in the WHO South-East Asia Region has increased to the pre-pandemic level of 91%, a significant increase from the 82.1% recorded in 2021, according to estimates of national immunisation coverage for 2022, which were released earlier today by WHO and UNICEF.

Data provided to the WHO by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Government of India) indicated that in 2022, 25.2 million individuals received their first dose of DPT-1. A total of 24.6 million people received three doses of diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus vaccine. According to Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia, the WHO South-East Asia Region had the best immunisation recoveries out of all WHO Regions, which can be largely attributed to efforts made by India and Indonesia. "Every child should receive routine immunisations to protect them from serious diseases. There is no doubt that the Covid 19 pandemic has raised awareness about vaccination as a crucial tool among the general public, according to Dr. Sanjay Lalwani, a western zone member of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics' Advisory Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation Practises (IAP-ACVIP). Secondly, faith in the government immunisation system has been increasing.

During the Covid 19 pandemic, the vaccination drive was largely done through government-run setups, he said. Dr Lalwani also applauded the Centre’s Mission Indradhanush scheme that aims at covering the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children, and as part of its intensified efforts, have helped expand immunisation coverage. In the WHO South-East Asia region, the number of zero-dose children — that is those that have not received even the first dose of DPT vaccine — halved from 4.6 million in 2021 to 2.3 million in 2022. Across Maharashtra, state immunisation officer Dr Sachin Desai said they had achieved their target of immunising 19.32 lakh infants (0-1 years) from April 2022 till March 2023. Dr Desai told The Indian Express that 27 corporations across the state have played a huge role in achieving the target.