World Immunisation Week: Creating vaccination awareness and improving vaccination coverage in India

Bengaluru: Vaccines have proven their life-saving power globally, yet India still faces significant challenges in awareness and accessibility. Despite remarkable advances in safety and efficacy, many preventable diseases—Typhoid, Influenza, Cervical Cancer, Pneumonia, Shingles—continue to affect millions due to low immunization rates. Immediate action involving public, private, and community partners is essential.

The Consultant Pediatrician and Neonatologist at Sanjivini Children’s Clinic in Bengaluru, Dr. Vivekanand M Kustagi said, “Even though vaccines are clinically effective, most people resist getting vaccinated. The reasons are several: they may not have access to accurate or sufficient information, certain cultural beliefs may influence their decisions, or they may lack adequate health education. Myths and incorrect information that go viral online discourage people from getting vaccinated. Therefore, clinical opinion leaders and healthcare system experts play a crucial role in championing and disseminating accurate information regarding vaccination and its benefits. This can be one of the solutions to higher adoption and increased use of vaccination in India.”

India bears a heavy burden of vaccine-preventable illnesses. In 2021, around 10 million Typhoid cases were recorded, and over 511 million women face risk of Cervical Cancer, contributing nearly 80,000 deaths annually. Invasive Pneumococcal Disease accounts for up to 30% of deaths in children under five, and India represents 36% of the South East Asia region’s pneumonia cases. The Government of India aims to reduce pneumonia deaths among children to fewer than three per 1,000 live births by 2025.

The Managing Director of Novo Medi Sciences, Foram Bhagat shares, “With a vision of making vaccines accessible and affordable to all, Novo Medi Sciences (Novo Group), focuses on the development of Next generation vaccines such as introducing World’s Only Thermostable Varicella vaccine, India’s first Hand Foot and Mouth disease vaccine, World’s Only Single dose Shingles vaccine. The robust cold chain of Novo Medi Sciences ensures the maintenance of the quality of all products until it reaches the last mile, with a record of ‘No-batch’ recall ever. Novo Medi Sciences, with a legacy of over 75 years, continues to leverage today’s technology and medical insights to achieve responsible, impactful innovation in the vaccines segment.”