The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is one of the best public health achievements by India and saves millions of children and mothers every year. As the largest vaccination programme in the world, it is free vaccines against 12 preventable diseases which is preventing countless lives and improving the health status of the nation.
Protecting Mothers and Saving Children
Every year UIP reaches 2.6 crore infants and 2.9 crore pregnant women with key vaccines. Six new vaccines for Pneumococcal Conjugate and Measles-Rubella have been included in the schedule since 2014. These efforts have helped in an incredible decline in under-5 fatalities: There were 45 U-5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014, compared with 31 in 2021.
Mission Indradhanush: Furthering Coverage
To fill the ground of coverage, the government introduced Mission Indradhanush (MI), with the objective of increasing the coverage of full immunisation from 62 to 90% in 2014. Later, the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) was focused on low laid vaccine uptake areas. Till 2023, 12 rounds of MI and IMI were taking over 5 crores children and 1 crore pregnant women with the back-up of local campaigns such as Gram Swaraj Abhiyan.
Overcoming Challenges
Despite the progress, there are hurdles. Migrant populations and remote families often miss vaccinations, and vaccine-hesitancy still persists in some populations because of misinformation. Infrastructure gaps also continue to exist in cold chains and last-mile delivery. To tackle this, India has adopted the zero-dose outreach strategies, digital tracking, as well as cold chain innovations.
Accomplishments of Disease Control
India has made large leaps forward in eliminating disease:
- Polio-free since 2011
- Maternal and neonatal tetanus eradicated in 2015
- Yaws eliminated in 2016
- Nearly 35 crores of children have been vaccinated against Measles and Rubella until 2019
The immunisation drives, however, were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and presently, due to this disruption, measles outbreaks are happening. To offset this, the Zero Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign (2025) is aiming for 95%+, so that
Technology and Global Leadership
Digital platforms such as U-WIN, the electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network and the National Cold Chain MIS are ushering in the modern logistics of vaccine tracking and storage. Meanwhile, the role of India as the world's largest vaccine producer has increased, especially during the covid-19 times, when India has supplied vaccines all around the world under Vaccine Maitri initiative.
The Road Ahead
With a One Health approach (integrating human, animal and environmental health), India plans to enhance the national surveillance and sustain the gains against Immunisation and prepare themselves to face future pan-demic. UIP is not about vaccines, it's about creating healthier, more resilient generations.