A recent study uncovered a worrying trend in India's measles vaccination coverage among children. About 12% of eligible children haven't received any of the recommended double doses, indicating a significant gap in immunization efforts. The study, conducted by researchers from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Banaras Hindu University, focused on overlooked aspects of measles vaccination, analyzing data from over 43,000 children aged 2-3 years.
Results revealed that nearly 30% of eligible children received only one measles-containing vaccine (MCV1), while around 60% were fully immunized (MCV2). This concerning trend comes despite India's adoption of the National Strategic Plan for Measles and Rubella Elimination in 2017. Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the risk of measles outbreaks, particularly among vulnerable populations.
The study highlighted regional disparities, with northeastern states like Nagaland reporting the highest percentage of zero-dose cases at 26%, while Tamil Nadu had the lowest at 4.6%. In Uttar Pradesh, districts like Prayagraj and Banda had significantly higher percentages of zero-dose cases compared to others.
Socio-demographic factors, such as lower wealth levels and maternal education, were found to increase the likelihood of children not receiving vaccinations. Additionally, vaccine hesitancy fueled by cultural factors and misinformation contributed to lower inoculation rates.
The researchers emphasized the need for tailored vaccination strategies, especially in districts with around 10% variability in zero-dose cases. They stressed the importance of last-mile efforts and more frequent vaccination campaigns to achieve the target of 95% vaccine coverage for population-level immunity.
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