Daijiworld Media Network - Gandhinagar
Gandhinagar, Mar 15: The government of Gujarat has vaccinated over 11.30 lakh infants and more than 24 lakh children during 2025–26 under the Universal Immunisation Programme, according to official data released on Sunday.
Health officials said the vaccination effort covered infants, schoolchildren and pregnant women through routine immunisation services and special campaigns conducted across the state.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, over 11.30 lakh infants under one year of age completed their full immunisation schedule. During the same period, 11.94 lakh children received the BCG vaccine, while 11.59 lakh were administered the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B. In addition, 11.24 lakh children were vaccinated against measles and rubella.
Vaccination programmes were also organised in schools and balvatikas through coordination between the education and health departments. Students aged 10 and 16 years were vaccinated in schools, while five-year-old children received the second dose of the DPT vaccine in balvatikas. Together, these initiatives covered over 24 lakh children during the year.
To sustain its polio-free status since 2007, the state carried out a special campaign in 14 districts in 2025, during which polio drops were administered to 24.65 lakh children aged below five years.
Health services have also been extended to remote regions through mobile initiatives such as “Tika Express”, “Mobile Mamta Day” and the “Khilkhilat Vehicle”, which deliver vaccines and maternal healthcare in hard-to-reach areas.
A focused vaccination drive was conducted during the “Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar” fortnight from September 17 to October 2, 2025, aimed at improving maternal and child health. During this campaign, over 3.58 lakh children and more than 1.24 lakh pregnant women received vaccinations.
Pregnant women were administered the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine during antenatal check-ups, while children received vaccines including BCG, pentavalent, measles-rubella, pneumococcal, injectable polio, oral polio and rotavirus.
The state will also launch a one-day intensive measles-rubella elimination campaign on National Immunisation Day. Using real-time data from the Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance Information Management System and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, the health department has identified high-risk zones such as industrial areas and border districts with migrant populations.
The campaign will target children aged nine months to 10 years to ensure full vaccination coverage.
Separately, Gujarat has started implementing the nationwide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme launched on February 28. The initiative targets girls aged 14–15 years to help prevent cervical cancer.
Officials noted that the HPV vaccine, which costs Rs 3,000–Rs 5,000 in the private sector, is being provided free of charge to eligible beneficiaries under the government programme. Safety protocols are being followed during vaccination, including ensuring beneficiaries are not vaccinated on an empty stomach and monitoring them for 30 minutes after the dose.