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6-in-1 Vaccine Could Make India's Childhood Immunization Program More Efficient, Cut Costs: Health Ministry Study

A six-in-one (hexavalent) vaccine could make India's <span>Universal Immunization Program</span> more efficient, convenient for families, and cost-effective if it becomes widely available at an affordable price, according to a study led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The study found that while the <span>hexavalent vaccine</span> has higher upfront procurement costs, it could reduce the number of injections, improve operational efficiency, lower healthcare workload, and save time for caregivers.

The hexavalent vaccine protects children against six diseases with a single injection:

<ul><li>Diphtheria</li><li>Tetanus</li><li>Pertussis (whooping cough)</li><li>Hepatitis B</li><li>Hemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)</li><li><span rel="noindex"><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/polio">Polio</a></span></li></ul>

Combining multiple vaccines into one shot reduces the number of injections infants receive during routine immunization visits.

<strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/india-records-20138-organ-transplants-in-2025-deceased-donor-transplants-reach-3526-article-155236541" data-type="tilCustomLink">India Records 20,138 Organ Transplants In 2025; Deceased Donor Transplants Reach 3,526</a>

Researchers found that the vaccine's price is the biggest factor determining the overall cost of introducing it into India's immunization program.

<ul><li>A 50% reduction in the vaccine price would allow operational savings to outweigh the additional vaccine procurement costs under the primary immunization schedule.</li><li>Lower vaccine prices could also make broader implementation, including booster doses, economically beneficial.</li></ul>Dr. Susmita Chatterjee, Program Head – Health Economics at The George Institute, said combination vaccines have long been recognized for simplifying immunization programs while improving convenience for families and health systems.

The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Human Vaccines &amp; Immunotherapeutics.

<h2>Potential Benefits of the 6-in-1 Vaccine</h2>

According to the study, introducing the hexavalent vaccine could:

<ul><li>Reduce the number of injections for infants.</li><li>Make immunization visits more convenient for children and caregivers.</li><li>Lower cold-chain storage requirements</li><li>Reduce the use of syringes and other vaccination supplies.</li><li>Save time for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) during vaccine administration and record-keeping</li><li>Reduce the workload of cold-chain handlers and vaccine managers.</li><li>Save time for parents and caregivers during vaccination visits.</li></ul>

<h2>India's Current Immunization Program</h2>

<strong>Read More: </strong><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/indias-national-hepatitis-program-screens-over-210-6-million-treats-612000-patients-article-155188586" data-type="tilCustomLink">India's National Hepatitis Program Screens Over 210.6 Million, Treats 612,000 Patients</a>

India runs one of the world's largest immunization programs, vaccinating nearly 26 million babies every year.

The program protects children against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including:

<ul><li>Diphtheria</li><li>Pertussis</li><li>Tetanus</li><li>Polio</li><li>Measles</li><li>Rubella</li><li>Tuberculosis</li><li>Hepatitis B</li><li>Hib-related meningitis and pneumonia</li><li>Rotavirus diarrhea</li><li>Pneumococcal pneumonia</li><li>Japanese encephalitis (in endemic districts)</li></ul>

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A team of researchers, including from The George Institute for Global Health India, The Gates Foundation, and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, assessed two implementation scenarios:

<ul><li>Replacing the current <span rel="noindex">pentavalent vaccine</span> and fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fIPV) with the hexavalent vaccine during the primary immunization schedule.</li><li>Replacing both the primary schedule and the DTP booster dose with the hexavalent vaccine.</li></ul>

The analysis considered costs from both government and household perspectives, including:

<ul><li>Vaccine procurement</li><li>Syringes and vaccination supplies</li><li>Cold-chain logistics</li><li>Healthcare worker time</li><li>Caregiver time</li></ul>

The researchers noted that replacing the current pentavalent, fIPV and DTP booster vaccines with the hexavalent vaccine would initially increase vaccine procurement costs. However, these would be partially offset by savings from:

<ul><li>Lower vaccine delivery costs</li><li>Reduced syringe use</li><li>Lower cold-chain requirements</li><li>Time savings for healthcare workers involved in procurement, storage and vaccine administration</li></ul>

The team added that based on previous vaccine procurement trends, a 50% reduction in the hexavalent vaccine price would make the switch economically favorable under the primary immunization schedule. Further price reductions could also generate cost savings for the booster-dose scenario.

"Our study demonstrates that although the hexavalent vaccine carries a higher upfront procurement cost, it also generates important efficiencies by reducing injections, easing pressure on frontline health workers, lowering cold-chain requirements and saving caregivers' time. These findings provide important economic evidence that can inform future policy discussions on strengthening India's immunization program," Dr. Susmita said.

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A six-in-one (hexavalent) vaccine could make India's Universal Immunization Program more efficient, convenient for families, and cost-effective if it becomes widely available at an affordable price, according to a study led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.The study found that while the hexavalent vaccine has higher upfront procurement costs, it could reduce the number of injections, improve operational efficiency, lower healthcare workload, and save time for caregivers.What Is the 6-in-1 Vaccine?The hexavalent vaccine protects children against six diseases with a single injection:DiphtheriaTetanusPertussis (whooping cough)Hepatitis BHemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)PolioCombining multiple vaccines into one shot reduces the number of injections infants receive during routine immunization visits.Key FindingsAlso read: India Records 20,138 Organ Transplants In 2025; Deceased Donor Transplants Reach 3,526Researchers found that the vaccine's price is the biggest factor determining the overall cost of introducing it into India's immunization program.The study estimated that:A 50% reduction in the vaccine price would allow operational savings to outweigh the additional vaccine procurement costs under the primary immunization schedule.Lower vaccine prices could also make broader implementation, including booster doses, economically beneficial.Dr. Susmita Chatterjee, Program Head – Health Economics at The George Institute, said combination vaccines have long been recognized for simplifying immunization programs while improving convenience for families and health systems.The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics.Potential Benefits of the 6-in-1 VaccineAccording to the study, introducing the hexavalent vaccine could:Reduce the number of injections for infants.Make immunization visits more convenient for children and caregivers.Lower cold-chain storage requirementsReduce the use of syringes and other vaccination supplies.Save time for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) during vaccine administration and record-keepingReduce the workload of cold-chain handlers and vaccine managers.Save time for parents and caregivers during vaccination visits.India's Current Immunization ProgramRead More: India's National Hepatitis Program Screens Over 210.6 Million, Treats 612,000 PatientsIndia runs one of the world's largest immunization programs, vaccinating nearly 26 million babies every year.The program protects children against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including:DiphtheriaPertussisTetanusPolioMeaslesRubellaTuberculosisHepatitis BHib-related meningitis and pneumoniaRotavirus diarrheaPneumococcal pneumoniaJapanese encephalitis (in endemic districts)What the Study Evaluated      A team of researchers, including from The George Institute for Global Health India, The Gates Foundation, and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, assessed two implementation scenarios:Replacing the current pentavalent vaccine and fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fIPV) with the hexavalent vaccine during the primary immunization schedule.Replacing both the primary schedule and the DTP booster dose with the hexavalent vaccine.The analysis considered costs from both government and household perspectives, including:Vaccine procurementSyringes and vaccination suppliesCold-chain logisticsHealthcare worker timeCaregiver timeThe researchers noted that replacing the current pentavalent, fIPV and DTP booster vaccines with the hexavalent vaccine would initially increase vaccine procurement costs. However, these would be partially offset by savings from:Lower vaccine delivery costsReduced syringe useLower cold-chain requirementsTime savings for healthcare workers involved in procurement, storage and vaccine administrationThe team added that based on previous vaccine procurement trends, a 50% reduction in the hexavalent vaccine price would make the switch economically favorable under the primary immunization schedule. Further price reductions could also generate cost savings for the booster-dose scenario."Our study demonstrates that although the hexavalent vaccine carries a higher upfront procurement cost, it also generates important efficiencies by reducing injections, easing pressure on frontline health workers, lowering cold-chain requirements and saving caregivers' time. These findings provide important economic evidence that can inform future policy discussions on strengthening India's immunization program," Dr. Susmita said.

6-in-1 vaccine could make india's childhood immunization program more efficient, cut costs: health ministry study

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