Every vaccine on India’s national schedule is free for children at government health facilities, and in Chennai the most convenient place to get them is your nearest urban primary health centre (UPHC) run by the Greater Chennai Corporation. The Corporation lists immunisation for children under five among the routine services at these centres, and had 138 UPHCs at last count on its health department page.
Since October 2024, the records have also moved online. The U-WIN platform, launched by the Prime Minister on 29 October 2024, digitises vaccinations under the Universal Immunisation Programme from birth to age 16, covering 12 vaccine-preventable diseases (PIB). Here is the schedule, and how to use the system without missing a dose.
The national schedule at a glance
This is the schedule as set out in the health ministry’s immunisation handbook for health workers. Some vaccines, such as rotavirus, PCV and JE, were originally introduced only in selected states; ask your UPHC which are given in Chennai, and note that tetanus toxoid (TT) has been replaced by Td.
| Age | Vaccines |
|---|---|
| At birth | BCG, hepatitis B birth dose (within 24 hours), oral polio (OPV-0) |
| 6 weeks | OPV-1, pentavalent-1, rotavirus-1, fractional IPV-1, PCV-1 |
| 10 weeks | OPV-2, pentavalent-2, rotavirus-2 |
| 14 weeks | OPV-3, pentavalent-3, rotavirus-3, fractional IPV-2, PCV-2 |
| 9-12 months | Measles-rubella 1, JE-1 where given, PCV booster, vitamin A |
| 16-24 months | DPT booster 1, measles-rubella 2, OPV booster, JE-2 where given |
| 5-6 years | DPT booster 2 |
| 10 and 16 years | Td |
Pentavalent is a single shot that protects against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis B and Hib. Pregnant women get two doses of Td (or a booster) during pregnancy.
Where to go in Chennai
- Corporation UPHCs, roughly one per 50,000 population, for routine doses and records.
- Government maternity hospitals and medical college hospitals, where birth doses are given before discharge.
- Outreach sessions held by health workers in slums and resettlement colonies. Tamil Nadu’s Directorate of Public Health has ordered special sessions in urban slums and high-risk areas to catch children who missed doses (DT Next).
Carry the mother-child protection card each time, plus Aadhaar of a parent if you plan to register on U-WIN.
Using U-WIN
U-WIN works like the CoWIN platform used for Covid vaccines, but for routine immunisation. On the U-WIN portal a parent can:
- register the child with a mobile number
- see which doses are due and get reminders
- download a digital vaccination certificate after each dose
- find a nearby session site
Because records are linked nationally, a dose given in Chennai shows up if you move to another city. If a past dose is missing from your child’s record, ask the UPHC staff to update it from the physical card.
Missed a dose?
Do not restart the series. Go to the UPHC with the card and the nurse will give the next due dose and adjust the rest. Most vaccines on the schedule can be caught up, though a few, such as the rotavirus doses, have upper age limits, so the sooner you go the better.
Tamil Nadu’s public health directorate tracks “zero-dose” children, meaning those who have not received even the first pentavalent shot within a year of birth, and children who dropped out partway. Health workers are told to find them in vacant sites, high-risk pockets and urban slums (DT Next). If a health worker knocks to ask about your child’s vaccines, that is why. Families who have recently moved to Chennai from another district or state are especially likely to have gaps.
After the injection
Wait at the centre for about half an hour after the shots so staff can watch for any immediate reaction. At home, a mild fever, fussiness or a sore, slightly swollen spot where the needle went in are common and usually pass in a day or two. Breastfeed or give fluids as usual. Ask the nurse before giving any medicine for fever, and do not rub or apply anything to the injection site.
Go back to the health centre or to a hospital if the child has a high fever that does not settle, cries inconsolably for hours, becomes limp or unusually drowsy, has a seizure or develops swelling of the face or difficulty breathing. Serious reactions are rare, but they should be reported; Tamil Nadu monitors adverse events after immunisation.
Nationally, about 2.6 crore infants and 2.9 crore pregnant women are covered each year (PIB), with more than 13 million immunisation sessions held (UNICEF India).
Quick answers
Are childhood vaccines free in Chennai?
Yes. All vaccines on the national schedule are free at government facilities, including Corporation UPHCs.
What is U-WIN?
The Union health ministry’s online registry for routine immunisation, from birth to age 16, with reminders and digital certificates.
Which vaccines are due at six weeks?
OPV-1, pentavalent-1, rotavirus-1, fractional IPV-1 and PCV-1.
Are optional vaccines like typhoid or chickenpox free?
Not under the national schedule; ask your paediatrician.
Your paediatrician or UPHC medical officer can advise if your child is unwell on the due date or has special health needs.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- PM launches health projects incl. U-WIN and Ayushman Vay Vandana, 29 Oct 2024 (PIB)
- Immunization Handbook for Health Workers (NHM, MoHFW)
- Immunization in India (UNICEF India)
- Health Department (Greater Chennai Corporation)
- DPH instructs health officers in TN to conduct special immunisation sessions (DT Next)
- U-WIN portal (MoHFW)
