India celebrates National Vaccination Day on March 16 every year to commemorate the first dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine given to citizens in 1995, under the Pulse Polio Programme launched in the same year. Objectives of National Vaccination Day Raise awareness about the Importance of vaccination in preventing disease prevalence Serve as a national reminder of government's commitment to universc vaccine coverage for all Recognise the importance of frontline health workers and stakeholders who deliver immunisation services Why is Vaccination important? Immunisation through vaccination saves crores of lives every year by reducing the risks of contracting diseases. It builds people's natural defences to create protection against illnesses. The advantages of vaccination are as follows. Protection before exposure - Simple, safe & effective protects you before you encounter harmful diseases Trains the immune system - Builds antibodies against diseases without causing illness Long-lasting immunity - Protection that lasts years, decades - or even a lifetime Saves lives every year - Childhood vaccines alone prevent millions of deaths annually Protects the vulnerable - Shields babies, the elderly & immune compromised who cannot be vaccinated Prevents diseases - Including Polio, Measles, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis B & Cervical Cancer Safe for nearly everyone - All ingredients thoroughly tested, monitored & approved Vaccination in India In India, vaccines have had resounding impact on the improvement of public health. Apart from polio, vaccines have eradicated smallpox, and eliminated yaws, polio and maternal & neonatal tetanus in India. They have reduced child mortality rates, measles-rubella, and tuberculosis. India’s robust Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), a wide-spread network of publicly funded healthcare centres, workers and cold-chain infrastructure, and a strong digital network, have delivered results. Vaccination facts As the world's largest vaccine producer, India supplies approximately 60% of global vaccines. The UIP is one of the world's largest immunisation programmes, reaching 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.54 crore newborns every year, free of cost. The UIP provides vaccines to newborns, children, adolescents and pregnant women for protecting against 12 diseases. The Japanese Encephalitis vaccine is provided to people only in endemic districts, and the rest are provided nationally. Full immunisation coverage has risen from 62% in 2015 to 98.4% as of January 2026. India’s percentage of zero-dose children to the total population has declined from 0.11% in 2023 to 0.06% in 2024. India has eradicated smallpox, polio and maternal & neonatal tetanus through vaccination. Recent Vaccine Launches and Programmes The most recent chapter in this expansion is also the most ambitious — with two landmark launches in early 2026 that extend UIP's reach. Indigenous Tetanus–Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine Launch (2026) - An indigenously manufactured Tetanus & Adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine was launched on 21 February 2026. The vaccine is produced at the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli. About 55 lakh doses will be supplied to the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) by April 2026. Nationwide HPV Vaccination Campaign (2026) - A nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign was launched on 28 February 2026. It targets 14-year-old girls to protect them from cervical cancer. Around 1.15 crore girls across India are expected to receive the vaccine free of cost at government health facilities. Vaccination campaigns do more than protect public health — they reduce the financial burden of illness on families, keeping children healthy and allowing them to live fuller, more meaningful lives. The benefits extend across generations: a healthy child becomes a healthy adult, and a healthy population contributes more productively to the workforce, driving broader social and economic progress. Source : PIB