What is the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)?

The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is a government-run health initiative launched in 1985 to provide free vaccines to all children and pregnant women in India. Its goal is to protect them from life-threatening but preventable diseases through timely and complete immunisation.

Who can benefit from the UIP?

All children from birth to 16 years of age and all pregnant women are eligible for free vaccinations under UIP. The programme targets nearly 27 million newborns and 29 million pregnant women across India every year.

What vaccines are provided under the UIP?

UIP currently offers vaccines against 12 preventable diseases, including Polio, Measles, Rubella, Hepatitis B, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Tuberculosis (BCG), Rotavirus, Japanese Encephalitis, Pneumococcal diseases, and Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B).

Are the vaccines under UIP safe and free?

Yes, all vaccines under the UIP are completely free of cost and go through strict quality checks for safety and effectiveness. They are administered only by trained health workers at government hospitals, health centres, and outreach camps.

How can parents ensure their child receives all vaccines?

Parents should visit the nearest government health centre after childbirth and collect the immunisation schedule or card. They must follow the recommended vaccination timeline and attend regular follow-up visits to ensure their child gets all doses on time.

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A Comprehensive Guide To India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)

Alankar Mishra

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 7:28 AM

A Comprehensive Guide To India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)

The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is unarguably the world’s largest public health project. The government program began operations in 1985 as an extension of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). The goal of the UIP is to offer free immunisation services to avert diseases that could potentially endanger the lives of infants and expectant mothers. The UIP remains committed to its vision and continues to evolve through the introduction of advanced technologies, ensuring no one is left behind in the battle against vaccine-preventable diseases. This project is part of the Indian health system's priorities and will help millions in the present as well as future generations.

In this article, we will learn about the UIP government program in complete detail, from its impact and challenges to future prospects.

Overview

Feature	Details
Launch Year	1985
Target Population	27 million newborns and 30 million pregnant women annually
Diseases Covered	Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Measles, Tetanus, Polio, Diphtheria, Rotavirus diarrhoea, Japanese encephalitis
Technological Integration	Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) for vaccine tracking and cold chain management
Supplementary Initiative	Mission Indradhanush for increasing coverage in low-immunisation areas
Impact	Significant decline in vaccine-preventable diseases; improved maternal and child health
Funding	Fully funded by the Government of India
Challenges	Vaccine hesitancy, logistics in remote areas, maintaining cold chain
Vision	100% immunisation coverage and improved public health

Universal Immunisation Schedule

The Universal Immunization Schedule (UIS) is a comprehensive vaccination programme in India designed to protect children and pregnant women from preventable diseases. It ensures the timely delivery of essential vaccines, promoting public health and reducing mortality rates.

Key Vaccines Under UIS

BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin): Prevents tuberculosis.

Administered at birth or as early as possible.

OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine): Prevents poliomyelitis.

Given at birth, 6, 10, and 14 weeks, followed by booster doses.

Hepatitis B Vaccine: Prevents hepatitis B infection.

Administered at birth, 6, 10, and 14 weeks.

Pentavalent Vaccine: Protects against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, and Hib.

Given at 6, 10, and 14 weeks.

Measles and Rubella (MR) Vaccine: Prevents measles and rubella.

Administered at 9-12 months and 16-24 months.

Rotavirus Vaccine: Protects against rotavirus diarrhoea.

Given at 6, 10, and 14 weeks.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine: Prevents Japanese encephalitis in high-risk areas.

Administered at 9-12 months and 16-24 months.

Td (Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria): For pregnant women and adolescents.

Given during pregnancy (1st dose early and 2nd dose at least 4 weeks apart).

Importance of UIS

Ensures timely protection against major diseases.
Reduces infant and maternal mortality rates.
Promotes health equity by reaching underserved populations.
Contributes to the eradication of diseases like polio in India.

About

The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) 2024 in India is a well-planned strategy which counters potentially fatal diseases through vaccines. Commencing from 1985 onwards the UIP was an extension to the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) which started in 1978 to rank among the biggest public health capital projects in the world.

Historical Backdrop

Freeness and affordability for vaccines constrained the transformation of the EPI into UIP. The concept of EPI morphed into UIP to widen the coverage of vaccines physically to places away from urban areas and the needy and to lower child and maternal deaths caused by vaccine-preventable diseases.

UIP's Target Demographic

In India alone, around annually 2.7 crore (27 million) newborns and about 3 crore (30 million) pregnant women coming under the scope of the UIP are offered free vaccines for eleven diseases. Pediatricians also vaccinate against these illnesses including polio post-natal, tuberculosis, measles, and preventable hepatitis B, newer vaccines include pneumococcal conjugate aimed at warding off pneumonia which takes the lives of many infants yearly.

Vaccines And Diseases Covered

Under UIP, children and pregnant women receive vaccinations against critical diseases. The list of diseases under the government health scheme is mentioned below.

Tuberculosis
Hepatitis B
Measles
Tetanus
Poliomyelitis
Diphtheria
Plus vaccines for newer challenges like rotavirus diarrhoea and Japanese encephalitis in certain regions.

Technological Advancements In UIP

The use of technologies such as the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) has greatly improved the processes of vaccine storage as well as stock management maintaining an efficient cold chain & availability of vaccines at the right time throughout the nation.

Mission Indradhanush

Augmenting the UIP’s efforts, Mission Indradhanush aims to contribute to areas reporting low immunisation coverage so that the spread is made wider and no child or pregnant woman is left at risk of a preventable disease.

Impact Of UIP

The impact of the UIP has been transformative, and it’s changing the lives of millions of children and mothers every year.

Massive decline in deaths due to vaccine-based illnesses.
Benevolent improvement in the health condition of millions of children and future mothers.
Ramping up the public health system for well-organised, widespread vaccination programs.

Challenges And Forward Path

Though it has achieved many, UIP also faces challenges in accessing remote areas, addressing vaccine hesitancy, and logistics concerning maintaining the cold chain of vaccines. Even so, the government is still developing and changing maps for the ways of implementation of this programme to remove these obstacles and extend the scope of this life-saving program.

Government's Commitment

The programme’s 100% funding by the Indian government underlines its commitment not just to healthcare provision but to making every effort to create a healthier and sustained future for every child and woman.

Conclusion

The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) in India showcases the commitment of Indians towards their health and keeping disease at bay. Even as the program continues to grow and change in response to new maternal and child health needs, the UIP is still very important in the enhancement of the health care system in the world and reduction of the problems associated with communicable diseases in the country.

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