For Prelims: Pneumonia, Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, Routine immunisation, Booster dose
For Mains: Society: Public health and child welfare; Science and Technology: Vaccines and infectious diseases
Source:
Hindustan
5 facts for one-day exams
SSC, railway, police and teaching exams ask direct questions like these.
- Uttar Pradesh's scheduled PCV dose coverage reached nearly 98%.
- Uttar Pradesh introduced PCV vaccination in 2017.
- PCV vaccination expanded to all Uttar Pradesh districts by 2020.
- PCV entered the nationwide routine immunisation programme in 2021.
- India's PCV coverage reached 80% in 2025.
The news
Uttar Pradesh has achieved nearly 98% coverage of scheduled pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) doses under its routine immunisation programme, state immunisation officer Dr Ajay Gupta said on the eve of World Pneumonia Day. The vaccine protects children under five, particularly infants, from pneumococcal disease including pneumonia, a serious respiratory infection that becomes more common during winter when cold and air pollution increase risk.
Uttar Pradesh introduced PCV in 2017 and expanded it to all districts by 2020, a year before the vaccine was included in the nationwide routine immunisation programme in 2021. In financial year 2025-26, the state recorded approximately 5,721,205 first doses, 5,562,351 second doses and 5,739,982 booster doses. For the current financial year 2026-27 through September, the figures stood at 2,675,428 first doses, 2,644,619 second doses and 2,784,459 booster doses. According to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, India's PCV coverage rose from 56% in 2019 to 80% in 2025.
Why in the news?
On World Pneumonia Day, the state immunisation officer announced that PCV coverage under routine immunisation has reached nearly 98%, highlighting the programme's reach in a state with a large child population.
What is the Universal Immunisation Programme?
The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is one of the world's largest public health programmes, launched in India in 1985. It provides free vaccines against twelve vaccine-preventable diseases, including tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, measles, rubella, and pneumococcal disease. The programme was preceded by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation started in 1978. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) recommends vaccine introductions and schedule changes for the UIP.
How was PCV introduced in Uttar Pradesh?
Uttar Pradesh began PCV immunisation in 2017, rolling it out in phases. By 2020, the vaccine was available in all districts of the state. The following year, in 2021, PCV was included in the nationwide routine immunisation programme, making it part of the standard schedule for children across India.
What do the coverage figures show?
The nearly 98% coverage refers to scheduled PCV doses, not the overall full immunisation rate. The state's full immunisation coverage for financial year 2023-24 was 99.41%, a separate measure. The dose totals for each year represent separate recorded administrations and should not be added to estimate the number of distinct children vaccinated. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization reported that India's PCV coverage increased by 24 percentage points between 2019 and 2025.
Uttar Pradesh PCV doses by reporting period
| Dose | FY 2025-26 | FY 2026-27 through September |
|---|---|---|
| First | 5,721,205 | 2,675,428 |
| Second | 5,562,351 | 2,644,619 |
| Booster | 5,739,982 | 2,784,459 |
Uttar Pradesh connection
Matters for these Uttar Pradesh exams:UPPSCUPSSSC PET
Facts and terms for exams
- Pneumonia:
- An infection of the lungs that can cause inflammation and breathing difficulty.
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine:
- A vaccine that helps protect against diseases caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including some forms of pneumonia.
- Routine immunisation:
- The regular provision of scheduled vaccines to eligible populations to prevent infectious diseases.
- Booster dose:
- An additional vaccine dose given after earlier doses to strengthen or maintain immune protection.
Why it matters for exams
Exams: UPPSC, UPSSSC PET
Syllabus: Society: Public health and child welfare; Science and Technology: Vaccines and infectious diseases
Common mistake: Examiners may swap PCV-specific coverage with overall full immunisation: nearly 98% refers to scheduled PCV doses, while 99.41% refers to full immunisation in FY 2023-24.
Mains question
Examine the role of routine immunisation in reducing child mortality in India, with reference to the expansion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage.
Stuck? Get it in one tap
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be serious for young children. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine helps protect against pneumococcal disease, including some pneumonia. Uttar Pradesh provides scheduled PCV doses through routine immunisation and has reached nearly 98% coverage.
- Uttar Pradesh's scheduled PCV dose coverage reached nearly 98%.
- Uttar Pradesh introduced PCV vaccination in 2017.
- PCV vaccination expanded to all Uttar Pradesh districts by 2020.
- PCV entered the nationwide routine immunisation programme in 2021.
- India's PCV coverage reached 80% in 2025.
- Society: Public health and child welfare
- Science and Technology: Vaccines and infectious diseases
Related concepts: Pneumonia, Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, Routine immunisation, Booster dose
Practice questions
Pick an answer, then read the explanation.
- Q1Easy
What does PCV stand for in Uttar Pradesh's routine immunisation programme?
Explanation: PCV stands for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The other expressions are not the name of the vaccine.
- Q2Hard
Consider the following statements about PCV immunisation in Uttar Pradesh:
- 1.PCV immunisation began in the state in 2017.
- 2.PCV had reached all districts of the state by 2021.
- 3.PCV was included in the nationwide routine immunisation programme in 2021.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation: Statements 1 and 3 are correct: introduction in Uttar Pradesh began in 2017 and nationwide inclusion followed in 2021. Statement 2 is also correct because district-wide expansion was completed by 2020, and therefore had already been achieved by 2021.
- Q3Medium
What was Uttar Pradesh's full immunisation coverage in FY 2023-24?
Explanation: Full immunisation coverage in Uttar Pradesh was 99.41% in FY 2023-24. Nearly 98% is the separate PCV scheduled-dose coverage figure; 98.41% and 99.14% are not the recorded full immunisation figure.
- Q4Medium
What is the principal child-health purpose of PCV immunisation in Uttar Pradesh?
Explanation: PCV is a preventive vaccine that helps protect against pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia. It is not an air-pollution measurement tool, a replacement for all vaccines or a treatment for an existing infection.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is Uttar Pradesh's PCV vaccination coverage?
Coverage of scheduled PCV doses has reached nearly 98% under the state's routine immunisation programme.
2. When did Uttar Pradesh introduce PCV vaccination?
Uttar Pradesh introduced PCV in 2017 and expanded it to all districts by 2020.
3. How did India's PCV coverage change between 2019 and 2025?
India's PCV coverage rose from 56% in 2019 to 80% in 2025, according to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.
4. How many PCV first doses were recorded in Uttar Pradesh in FY 2025-26?
Approximately 5,721,205 children received a first PCV dose in FY 2025-26.
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- Original11 November 2026 · Read story
