Gujarat has rolled out a statewide TD (Tetanus and adult Diphtheria) and DPT vaccination campaign targeting an estimated 18.75 lakh schoolchildren across more than 48,000 schools, with state health authorities pledging that no eligible child will be left unvaccinated. The drive, formally launched on 16 June 2026 in Gandhinagar, is among the largest immunisation mobilisations the state has undertaken in recent years.

Campaign Scale and Structure

Officially titled the 'TD and DPT Triple Vaccination Campaign-2026', the initiative was inaugurated by State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya at PM Shri Borij Government Primary School in Gandhinagar, where vaccines were administered to Class 5 and Class 10 students as well as children who had completed five years of age.

Authorities have planned 48,529 TD vaccination sessions across 48,295 schools. In parallel, 35,819 DPT booster sessions will be held across 38,794 Balvatikas, covering an estimated 5.89 lakh children under the National Immunisation Schedule, which mandates a second DPT booster dose for children aged five. The campaign is supported by 992 teams operating under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK).

What the Health Minister Said

Addressing the launch gathering, Pansheriya framed child immunisation as foundational to India's long-term national goals. 'The dream envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a “Best India, Developed India, Cultural India and Virtuous India” by 2047 rests on the foundation of healthy citizens,' he said.

He added that Gujarat's health system was 'working round the clock, reaching every household and school so that no child is deprived of vaccination and mothers remain healthy.' The minister also recalled how delayed vaccine access in earlier decades had left children vulnerable to diseases such as polio, often causing lifelong disability, and credited coordinated efforts by schools, teachers, the media, and NGOs with helping eradicate polio after the last domestic case was reported in 2007.

Gujarat's Cervical Cancer Vaccination Record

Pansheriya highlighted that Gujarat had recently emerged as the leading state in India's cervical cancer vaccination programme for girls aged 14 to 15 years. According to the minister, more than 5.50 lakh girls in the state have already been vaccinated against cervical cancer, shielding them from future cancer risk — a figure that underscores the state's broader immunisation momentum.

Officials and Community Partners at the Launch

Health Commissioner Ratan Kanwar Gadhvi Charan welcomed participants and emphasised the importance of completing recommended vaccine doses. Among the dignitaries present were Gandhinagar Mayor Mira Patel, MLA Rita Patel, and Municipal Commissioner J.S. Prajapati, alongside senior officials from the health and education departments. The minister urged children to complement vaccination with nutritious diets, avoidance of junk food, and basic hygiene practices such as washing hands with soap before meals.

What Comes Next

The health department has committed to sustaining the drive until every eligible child in Gujarat has been covered. Educational institutions, teachers, media organisations, and voluntary groups have been formally acknowledged as key partners in the rollout. With nearly 19 lakh children in scope and close to 85,000 combined sessions planned, the campaign's execution over the coming weeks will be the real measure of its reach.