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

• DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0405
• Publication Date: 2011-06-09T15:33:18Z
• Authors: Ramanan Laxminarayan; Nirmal Kumar Ganguly
• Keywords: Vaccines; Immunization Programs; Vaccination; 1. No poverty; India; Infant; Health Services Accessibility; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Child, Preschool; Humans

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.