India’s Vaccine Deficit: Why More Than Half Of Indian Children Are Not Fully Immunized, And What Can—And Should—Be Done

Although India is a leading producer and exporter of vaccines,

the country is home to one-third of the world’s unimmunized children.

Fewer than 44 percent of India’s young children receive the full schedule

of immunizations. India’s vaccine deficit has several causes: little

investment by the government; a focus on polio eradication at the

expense of other immunizations; and low demand as a consequence of a

poorly educated population and the presence of anti-vaccine advocates. In

this article we describe India’s vaccine deficit and recommend that the

government move quickly to increase spending on, and otherwise

strengthen, national immunization programs.