State stares at ‘zero-dose’ immunisation challenge

SHILLONG, Jan 20: Meghalaya has made significant progress in its immunisation efforts, raising vaccination rates from a modest 58% in 2017 to an impressive 85% in 2024. Despite this achievement, the state faces the pressing challenge of addressing “zero-dose” children — those who have not received a single dose of any vaccine.
Currently, 12,000 children across Meghalaya remain entirely unvaccinated, accounting for about 3% of the state’s child population. Among them, 5,007 zero-dose children are concentrated in districts where Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is actively intervening.
While rural areas have seen proactive efforts by healthcare workers to ensure immunisation, urban regions pose a surprising challenge. In cities, healthcare workers are reportedly less aggressive in driving vaccination campaigns, leading to a significant number of unvaccinated children in urban settings.
Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh talked about the importance of the need for a detailed study to understand the gaps in urban immunisation. “We need to investigate why urban areas are lagging in immunisation efforts. A targeted approach will help us address this disparity effectively,” she stated.
This was the point of highlight in a day-long media workshop organised by Centre for Development and Peace Studies, wherein the state nodal officers, members from the UNICEF team were present.
One of the barriers to achieving universal immunisation in Meghalaya has been faith-based fears, concerns about side effects, and low awareness levels. These factors have hindered vaccination campaigns, particularly in remote and marginalised communities.
Recognising the urgency, the state government, in collaboration with UNICEF, is prioritising the identification and vaccination of zero-dose children, and aiming to reach 91 percent immunisation by 2030.
Special campaigns are being designed to address vaccine hesitancy and ensure that even the most underserved populations receive immunisation.