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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.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The UNICEF report revealed that 10 countries across the world account for 59 percent of “zero dose children” \u2013 \u00a0who 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Khrage took to social media platform X for hit out at the government over the UNICEF report.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
He said, \u201cThe gains of India\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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, \u201cwithout providing any reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nModi Govt has committed a cardinal sin by not vaccinating lakhs of children. Neglect of immunisation means loss of precious lives. <\/p>\n
The gains of India\u2019s strong foundation in immunisation laid by the Congress party, has been shamelessly wasted by the Modi Govt, as 16 lakh\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/qewOqRjzDa<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 17, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n
\n“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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe Congress chief asked, “Narendra Modiji, how will we ensure \u2018Viksit Bharat\u2019 if our children aren\u2019t taken care of? In reality, PM CARES only for vanity!”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe Aam Aadmi Pary also hit out the government over the UNICEF report and said<\/a>, “Modi Govt has Failed on all Accounts.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n