Yogi govt’s efforts lead to sharp decline in ‘Zero Dose’ children, vaccination drive expands

Lucknow, Aug 2025 : The Yogi government is running various campaigns to protect newborns and young children from life-threatening diseases. The impact of these campaigns is reflecting in the decline in neonatal mortality over the past eight years. Regular immunization has played a key role in protecting newborns and young children from deadly diseases. The double-engine government is making special efforts to reach vaccination services to all children, with particular focus on identifying “Zero-Dose” children (those who have received no doses) and exposing them to vaccination services.

Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Parth Sarathi Sen Sharma, said that in accordance with the intent of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, steps are being taken to provide affordable and quality healthcare to the people of the state. The continuous decline in the number of zero-dose children reflects the efforts of the state health system, partner organizations, and the community.

Our goal is to ensure that no child is deprived of vaccination. From remote villages to urban settlements, vaccination services are being expanded to reach every family. We are assuring communities that vaccines are the most powerful tool to secure a child’s life and future. The government will work with even greater speed so that Uttar Pradesh becomes completely free of zero-dose cases and every child can live a healthy and safe life,” he remarked.

State Immunization Officer Dr. Ajay Gupta said that the ‘Zero Dose Campaign’ has been actively running since 2022 in 143 districts across 11 states of India. Uttar Pradesh is a leading state in this initiative, with the campaign running vigorously in 60 districts. These specific districts were carefully selected based on the data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), providing valuable insights into areas with the highest number of zero-dose children.

According to Dr. Salman, Senior Paediatrician, children without vaccines are at higher risk of life-threatening diseases, which can also affect their development. They face increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, and polio. These diseases not only pose a direct threat to children’s health and wellbeing but can also hinder broader disease eradication efforts and cause long-term disabilities. For instance, polio virus can lead to a debilitating disease, poliomyelitis, causing permanent paralysis and lifelong dependency on supportive care.

Key Features of the Campaign

Identification of zero-dose children and communities
Extending immunization to those previously left out
Investigating reasons for no prior vaccination
Deployment of trained health workers
Awareness generation and dispelling misconceptions in the community

Innovations to Strengthen Vaccination Coverage

Technical and strategic support from global organizations like WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, and JSI.
Vaccination services available seven days a week in urban areas
Digitization of vaccination records for pregnant women and children via the U-WIN digital platform
Continuous training of health workers through the RISE app
Establishment of model vaccination centres

Over 2.8 million vaccinations conducted annually

In Uttar Pradesh, around 67 lakh pregnant women and 57 lakh children (0–1 year) receive vaccines annually through more than 28 lakh vaccination sessions. The government’s goal is that no child remains deprived of vaccination and every child progresses toward a safe and healthy life. Zero-dose children are those who do not receive any vaccine in their first year of life, leaving them more vulnerable to diseases like diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, and polio. Thanks to government initiatives and the support of partner organizations, the number of such children has steadily declined:
• 2022-23: 2,36,000
• 2023-24: 1,73,000
• 2024-25: 1,29,000