“Zero-dose children” is a term used in public health to refer to children who lack access to receive or failed to receive all doses of routine childhood vaccinations. These children are at a higher risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases and are a focus of vaccination efforts to ensure they receive the necessary immunizations to protect their health. [global statistic]
To achieve the zero dose target set in the Immunization Agenda 2030, India has been creating commendable strides. But there are still several zero-dose children, 63% of which reside states like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, where we operate. According to the latest WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage, India was home to the third largest number of zero-dose children worldwide in 2022, with more than 1.1 million being entirely unvaccinated. Rajasthan, India's largest state, has an estimated 70,000 zero-dose children.
The dual challenge: Millions of children in India are zero-dose and a substantial number of them are also malnourished. The notable correlation between vaccination status and malnutrition, underscores the vulnerability of marginalized populations to these health challenges, further exacerbated by a cycle of poverty, lack of education, and economic inequality.
Khushi Baby is committed to eliminating zero-dose cases among children between the ages of 3-12 months through a comprehensive, data-driven approach that ensures that every child receives essential vaccinations for a healthy start in life
Through our strategic collaboration with Gavi in 2023, we introduced a zero-dose module within CHIP, instantly reaching over 50,000 CHWs and identifying over 40,000 suspected zero-dose children.
In the next two years, we aim to identify, reach, immunize and verify routine immunizations for 10,000 suspected zero dose children.
