Government launches indigenous vaccine for diphtheria and tetanus, know when it will be distributed

Updated: 21-02-2026, 07.11 PM

What is the news?

Union Health Minister JP Nadda has launched the indigenously developed tetanus and adult diphtheria (TD) vaccine in India at the Central Research Institute (CRI) in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. This new vaccine will be made available under the Universal Immunization Program (UIP), the first batch of 55 lakh doses of which will be distributed by April this year. Nadda described the launch of the TD vaccine as a historic moment for India’s public health infrastructure.

What is the goal of the government?

JP Nadda stressed that this step is an important step towards ensuring national health security and strengthening self-reliance in the pharmaceutical sector. The minister also said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set clear targets to achieve self-reliance in the health and pharmaceutical sector. He highlighted India as the pharmacy of the world and its position as one of the top vaccine manufacturers globally.

Minister praised CRI organization

The Union Minister also informed that India has achieved maturity level 3 in the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Standardization of Regulatory Systems, which is a testament to its strong vaccine regulatory framework. The Minister appreciated institutions like CRI which have made significant contribution in the formulation of these standards. Nadda also said that historically, vaccines and medicines took decades to develop.