New Delhi: In response to recent media reports suggesting that approximately 11 lakh children in India missed their first measles vaccine dose in 2022, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has clarified the inaccuracies surrounding these claims.
Contrary to the reports based on the World Health Organization and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Union Ministry’s Health Management Information System (HMIS) presents a different perspective. According to HMIS data for the fiscal year 2022-23 (April 2022 to March 2023), a total of 2,63,63,270 children out of the eligible 2,63,84,580 received their first dose of the Measles Containing Vaccine (MCV). Only 21,310 children were reported to have missed their first dose during 2022-23.
The media reports were based on estimates from the WHO UNICEF Estimates National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) 2022 report, which covered the period from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The Union Ministry clarifies that these estimates do not align with the actual data recorded in the HMIS.
Moreover, the government has taken proactive measures to ensure comprehensive vaccination coverage:
- The catch-up vaccination age for Measles Containing Vaccine (MCV) has been extended from 2 to 5 years during immunization intensification activities.
- Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0, carried out in 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively, focused on vaccinating unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children.
- A Measles-Rubella (MR) campaign in Delhi and West Bengal achieved >95% coverage for children aged 9 months to 15 years.
- Supplementary immunization activities and outbreak response immunization reached 30 million children with an additional dose of MR vaccine.
- Robust surveillance mechanisms have resulted in a >5.8% Non Measles Non Rubella (NMNR) discard rate, the highest for the current fiscal year.
India’s commitment to universal immunization has been recognized globally, with the Measles and Rubella Partnership Champion Award scheduled to be conferred in March 2024 at Washington DC, acknowledging India’s exemplary leadership in the Regional Measles and Rubella Programme.