’Modi govt committed cardinal sin’: Opposition after UNICEF reports 16 lakh ’zero vaccine’ kids in India

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre for "not vaccinating lakhs of children" in 2023. He said the "Modi Govt has committed a cardinal sin" as "neglect of immunisation means loss of precious lives."

Kharge said this while referring the 2023 WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC). As per the UNICEF report, India had the second-highest number of children who did not receive any vaccine at all.

The UNICEF report revealed that 10 countries across the world account for 59 percent of "zero dose children" –  who were "consistently missed and did not receive any vaccine in 2023". The reported that operationally, their number is estimated through the number of children who missed DTP1.

India was only next Nigeria on the "zero dose children" chart. While Nigeria had 2.1 million (21 lakh) "zero dose children", India's number was at 1.6 million (16 lakh). India was followed by Ethiopia, DR Congo, Sudan, Indinesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Angola and Pakistan (in the order with Pakistan at 10th spot.)

Congress, AAP slam govt over UNICEF report

Khrage took to social media platform X for hit out at the government over the UNICEF report.

He said, “The gains of India’s strong foundation in immunisation laid by the Congress party, has been shamelessly wasted by the Modi Govt, as 16 lakh children have not been provided the key vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) and measles shots in 2023, eroding the advantages made in 2022.”

He further alleged that around half of the applications for assistance to children who became orphans during the COVID pandemic were rejected by the PM CARES Fund, “without providing any reasons.”

"Not only this, the rank apathy and flagrant disdain for COVID orphan children exposed by media reports shows, nearly 50 percent applications for assistance to such children were rejected by #PMCARES Fund, without providing any reasons!," Kharge posted on X.

The Congress chief asked, "Narendra Modiji, how will we ensure ‘Viksit Bharat’ if our children aren’t taken care of? In reality, PM CARES only for vanity!"

The Aam Aadmi Pary also hit out the government over the UNICEF report and said, "Modi Govt has Failed on all Accounts."