Recently, a report by a lancet highlights a subject: a large number of children in India are missing, in which not a single shot has been found. These children are referred to as “zero-khurak” children.

The report has revealed that India has more than 1.44 million zero-khurak children, which are the second highest in the world after Nigeria. These children are part of a large group in eight countries, where most unwanted children live.

In particular, the study highlights the increase in “zero-khurak children”, even those who did not receive the first dosage of the original DTP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus and pertusis).

This immediately raises the question: Who are these children? Why are they being released? And what can be done to change it?

What does “zero-khurak” mean?

A zero-khurak child is one who has not even found the first dose of DTP vaccine. This vaccine is a major indicator of access to vaccination services.

These children are completely normal yet insecure against life-drew diseases that can easily stop vaccines.

Zero-khurak children often belong to marginalized or rigid communities. They can live in remote rural areas, urban slums, or struggle affected areas, poor healthcare infrastructure and deep social inequality.

In many cases, their families may be unaware of the vaccination program or lack of access to nearby health facilities.

What is behind the increasing number of India?

India has made significant progress in reducing vaccine-pre-diseases in the last two decades. However, the Covid-19 epidemic severely disrupted the vaccination programs regularly.

According to the Lancet’s report, the diversion of health resources towards lockdown, fear of going to health centers, more hospitals, and the management of epidemic contributed to everyone to a sharp decline in vaccine coverage.

Globally, the number of zero-khurak children fell from 14.3 million in 2022 to 13.9 million in 2023. In India, the number grew from 2.7 million to 1.6 million in 2021 to 1.6 million, but it particularly for a country with a strong public health record, including programs such as Mission Indradhanush.

Why is this thing?

Children who miss vaccines are likely to be severely ill or to die of preventive diseases such as measles, polio and diphtheria, diseases that are almost eliminated in many parts of the world.

They also risk spreading these infections to others, especially people with weaker immune systems to vaccinate children.

Vaccination is one of the most cost -effective health interventions. As India moves towards universal health coverage, closing the difference on zero-khurak should become the top priority.

Every missed vaccine is a chance to have a lapse in a healthy future and every child left behind is reminiscent of which is still to be done.