154 million lives worldwide saved by immunisation efforts over 50 years: Study

As the World Immunisation Week kicked off on April 24, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics has launched a campaign to focus on routine immunisation as the birthright of a child

3 min readPuneUpdated: Apr 24, 2024 10:52 PM IST

As per the latest UNICEF report in 2022, 93 per cent of surviving infants received the third dose of DTP vaccine and 90 per cent received the second dose of a measles vaccine in India. File photo

On the occasion of World Immunisation Week, April 24-30, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics has launched a campaign to focus on routine immunisation as the birthright of a child. “Routine immunisation should be each child’s fundamental right,’ Dr GV Basavaraja, national president, IAP, 2024 told The Indian Express .

The IAP, Basavraja said further, has also urged the government to expedite the introduction of HPV vaccine and typhoid conjugate vaccine as both diseases constitute a significant public health burden. “Additional vaccines recommended by IAP are aimed at improving the quality of life,” Dr Basavaraja added.

As per the latest UNICEF report in 2022, 93 per cent of surviving infants received the third dose of DTP vaccine and 90 per cent received the second dose of a measles vaccine in India.

“There is significant progress but also challenges. For instance, inequitable distribution of vaccines and the inability to reach the magic figure of 90 per cent coverage, gaps in available human resources, issues related to the financing of vaccination have to be tackled,” the IAP President said.

Meanwhile, a major study to be published by The Lancet reveals that global immunisation efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives – or the equivalent of six lives every minute of every year – over the past 50 years. The vast majority of lives saved – 101 million – were those of infants.

At a virtual media conference earlier, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Over the past 50 years, vaccination against 14 diseases (diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, measles, meningitis A, pertussis, invasive pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus, rubella, tetanus, tuberculosis, and yellow fever) has directly contributed to reducing infant deaths by 40 per cent globally, and by more than 50 per cent in the African region. Thanks to vaccines, smallpox has been eradicated, polio is on the brink, and with the more recent development of vaccines against diseases like malaria and cervical cancer, we are pushing back the frontiers of disease.”

As many as 33 million children missed a measles vaccine dose in 2022. A coverage of 95 per cent or greater, with two doses of measles vaccine is needed to protect communities from outbreaks.

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Of vaccines included in the study, the measles vaccination had the most significant impact on reducing infant mortality, accounting for 60 per cent of the lives saved due to immunisation. This vaccine will likely remain the top contributor in preventing deaths. Nearly 94 million of the estimated 154 million lives saved since 1974 (when WHO’s Expanded Programme on Immunization was set up) were a result of protection by measles vaccines. Yet, 33 million children missed a measles vaccine dose in 2022—nearly 22 million missed their first dose and an additional 11 million missed their second dose.

Coverage of 95 per cent or greater with two doses of measles vaccine is needed to protect communities from outbreaks. Currently, the global coverage rate of the first dose of measles vaccine is 83 per cent and the second dose is 74 per cent, contributing to a very high number of outbreaks across the world.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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