Event / Workshop / Conferences
Subnational Implementation Review Workshop on Big Catch-up Initiative
A two-day intensive workshop held on 10-12 December 2025, in New Delhi was organized by the WHO SEARO to review progress, share best practices, and strategies for scaling up immunization coverage in various countries, focusing on reaching out to missed children and strengthening the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) through evidence-based decisions, community outreach, and by leveraging digital tools. Dr. Pritu Dhalaria, Director, Immunization Technical Support Unit (ITSU) in his presentation shared the overall immunization ecosystem in India, which included the journey so far, the achievements on various indicators over the years. He also underscored some of the critical barriers, especially coming from migratory families who come in search of livelihood to urban settings and some of the hard-to-reach areas in the country. He emphasized on why these domains need more attention in future and the importance of targeted and inclusive approaches.
ITSU presents multiple papers on the effect of Rotavirus on Children’s Health
India launched Rotavirus Vaccination in 2016, and the country adopted a strategic nationwide rollout and expansion by 2019. The Immunization Technical Support Unit, MoHFW, presented critical research on Rotavirus Vaccination under UIP, utilizing robust data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) from 2019-2021, underscoring the multifaceted public health impact of the Rotavirus Vaccine on children’s health in India. Dr. Pretty Priyadarshini presented at the 15th International Rotavirus Symposium in Cape Town, South Africa, organized by the Sabin Vaccine Institute (30th Sept-02nd Oct, 2025). The paper focused on the vaccine's protective effect against malnutrition indicators, such as stunting, wasting, and underweight, positioning immunization as a crucial strategy for improving overall child nutritional status. The talk also emphasized the association between sociodemographic factors and malnutrition indicators, as well as integrative efforts.
Concurrently, during the 15th International Rotavirus Symposium in Cape Town, Mr. Ajeet Singh presented on the core objective of the UIP program by rigorously assessing the impact of Rotavirus Vaccination on childhood diarrhea among children in India. The evidence suggests a strong correlation between the rotavirus vaccine and a substantial decrease in diarrheal prevalence among Indian children, as indicated by NFHS-5 data. This will be relevant in shaping future strategies and policies aimed at improving child health outcomes. Furthermore, Dr. Ajay Verma contributed to the broader field of paediatric infectious diseases at the 14th World Congress of the World Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases in Bangkok, Thailand (28th-31st Oct, 2025), presenting on the association between Rotavirus Vaccination and malnutrition indicators, sharing critical findings to support evidence-based improvements
