New Delhi, July 16 -- In 2025, an estimated 13.5 million "zero-dose" children did not receive a single vaccine in their first year, of which 679,000 were Indian children, according to the annual WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) released on Wednesday. Nigeria topped the chart with 2.2 million unvaccinated children.

However, 90% of infants globally - or nearly 116 million - received at least one dose of a diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine, and 85% - or 110 million - completed the full three-dose series, according to the report.

While both indicators rose by one percentage point from the previous year, global coverage remains one point below 2019 levels - hovering within the same narrow range si...