From Polio Drops To HPV Shots: How India’s Immunisation Playbook Is Changing

For decades, vaccination in India was closely associated with childhood illnesses, polio booths, routine shots at government centres, and periodic drives to contain outbreaks. That image is now changing. The country’s immunisation programme is not just larger today; it is also more layered, stretching across age groups and health risks in ways it did not before.

The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), which anchors this effort, still focuses heavily on mothers and infants. Every year, it reaches nearly 2.9 crore pregnant women and more than 2.5 crore newborns. What has shifted, however, is how consistently these groups are being covered. A decade ago, gaps in coverage were common. Today, full immunisation levels have moved past 98 per cent, while the number of children who miss out entirely has dropped.

That change has less to do with a single policy and more with persistence: repeated campaigns, tighter monitoring, and a stronger on-ground network.

More Vaccines, Different Risks

The list of diseases covered under the programme has steadily grown. Vaccines against tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, and hepatitis B have long been part of the system. In recent years, newer additions, such as those for rotavirus and pneumococcal infections, have widened the safety net.

What stands out now is the attempt to move beyond early childhood. The rollout of a nationwide HPV vaccination drive for adolescent girls signals that shift. Instead of focusing only on diseases that affect infants, the programme is beginning to address risks that show up later, such as cervical cancer. The initial phase itself is expected to cover over a crore beneficiaries.

Alongside this, the introduction of a locally developed tetanus-diphtheria vaccine points to another layer of change. India is not only expanding coverage but also trying to reduce reliance on external supply chains by strengthening its own manufacturing base, according to a recent statement issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

The Quiet Machinery Behind It

Large numbers often dominate the conversation, but the system that delivers them tends to stay in the background. Immunisation in India runs on a dispersed network, with health workers who track beneficiaries, storage systems that keep vaccines stable, and local outreach that ensures people actually turn up.

In many areas, especially outside cities, this still depends heavily on personal follow-ups. Health workers remind families, revisit households, and coordinate with local centres. Technology has started to ease some of this load, with digital tracking and stock management tools bringing more visibility into the process. But the human layer remains central.

These combined efforts have translated into long-term gains. Diseases that once posed widespread risks have either been eliminated or pushed to the margins. India’s success against polio and maternal and neonatal tetanus did not come overnight; it was the outcome of years of sustained vaccination.

What Changes From Here

The programme now seems to be entering a different phase. Expansion is no longer just about adding more beneficiaries; it is about broadening the idea of who needs protection and when.

Programmes such as Mission Indradhanush are still directed at districts where vaccination rates remain uneven, reflecting an ongoing effort to reach populations that have so far been harder to cover, according to the PIB report. At the same time, the inclusion of vaccines like HPV indicates a willingness to rethink priorities.

The next challenge is unlikely to be about scale alone. Maintaining high coverage, addressing hesitancy in some pockets, and ensuring a steady supply will matter just as much.

India’s immunisation story has always been about numbers. Increasingly, it is also becoming a story about timing, reach, and the ability to adapt.