March 16, 2026 marked National Vaccination Day (also called National Immunisation Day) in India — observed every year on March 16 to commemorate the launch of the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme on March 16, 1995. The day completed 31 years of India's landmark public health initiative that ultimately led to the World Health Organization officially declaring India polio-free on March 27, 2014, after no new wild poliovirus cases were reported for three consecutive years.

The Pulse Polio Programme was launched in response to the WHO's 1988 Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Under the programme, oral polio vaccine (OPV) was administered to all children under five years of age during National Immunisation Days (NIDs), irrespective of prior vaccination status. The programme succeeded through an intensive network of over 2.3 lakh booths, more than 1.5 lakh supervisors, and tens of thousands of government and volunteer health workers.

India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) — one of the largest in the world — now provides free vaccines against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases including polio, measles, hepatitis B, rotavirus, and pneumococcal disease. The 2026 observance focused on increasing coverage under Mission Indradhanush and eliminating vaccine hesitancy, particularly in tribal and remote areas.

Rajasthan Significance: Rajasthan was historically among the high-risk states for polio due to poor sanitation and dense population pockets. Today, the state's UIP coverage has significantly improved under Mission Indradhanush 4.0 (2023–25), which targeted children in underserved blocks across Bikaner, Barmer, Jaisalmer, and Dungarpur districts. National Vaccination Day underscores the importance of sustained public health infrastructure for Rajasthan's healthcare goals.