Expanded Program on Immunization


The Expanded Programme on Immunization is a global health initiative launched by the World Health Organization in May 1974, with the aim to make vaccines available to all globally

Introduction

Vaccination has been one of the most impactful public health interventions of the past century. Since the foundation of the Expanded Programme on Immunization by the World Health Organization in 1974, vaccines have provided the single greatest contribution to improving health outcomes globally, particularly among children and infants. Widespread immunization has substantially reduced the morbidity and mortality rates from diseases such as tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, yellow fever, meningitis A and many others.  Recent innovations have expanded the impact of vaccines in addressing not only childhood diseases but also adult and emerging diseases, such as COVID-19.

History

Milestones in Global vaccination

Impact of vaccination on global Health

Since the establishment of EPI in1974, vaccination has prevented 154 million deaths, among which 146 million are in children younger than 5 years of whom 101 million are in infants younger than 1 year. Measles vaccination is the single greatest contributor of lives saved by vaccination, preventing 93.7 million deaths out of total 154 million deaths prevented by vaccination globally. The vaccination has contributed for 40% of the decline in global infant mortality, 52% in the African region. In 2024, a child younger than 10 years is 40% more likely to survive to their next birthday relative to a hypothetical scenario of no vaccination. Increased survival probability is observed into adulthood as well, individuals aged 25 years are 35% more likely, and those aged 50 years are 16% more likely to survive to their next birthday

Ongoing disease eradication and elimination initiatives

After eradication of smallpox in 1980, nine other eradication and elimination strategies have been established:
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination
The Measles & Rubella Initiative
The End TB strategy
The Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis
The Global Technical Strategy for Malaria
The Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics Strategy
The Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer
The Global Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis