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: Investment; Vaccine-preventable diseases

Although India is a leading producer and exporter of vaccines, the country home to one-third world's unimmunized children. Fewer than 44 percent India's young children receive full schedule immunizations. vaccine deficit has several causes: little investment by government; focus on polio eradication at expense other immunizations; low demand as consequence poorly educated population presence anti-vaccine advocates. In this article we describe recommend that government move quickly increase spending on, otherwise strengthen, national immunization programs.