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Review
. 2024;160(3&4):267-278.
doi: 10.25259/IJMR_1527_2024.

Essential programme on immunization in WHO South-East Asia: A five-decade journey of saving millions of lives & ending diseases

Vinod Kumar Bura  1 , Rahul Srivastava  1 , Anil Kumar Chawla  1 , Tondo Opute Emmanuel Njambe  1 , Sudhir Khanal  1 , Lucky Sangal  1 , Shreya Jha  2 , Sunil Bahl  3
Affiliations
Review

Essential programme on immunization in WHO South-East Asia: A five-decade journey of saving millions of lives & ending diseases

Vinod Kumar Bura et al. Indian J Med Res. 2024.

Abstract

Vaccination is one of the most successful and cost-effective interventions designed by science which has helped in preventing millions of deaths, especially in children. The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was established by World Health Organization (WHO) in 1974 to develop immunization programmes throughout the world with polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, tuberculosis and whooping cough. The WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) has a disproportionately high burden of infectious diseases and has greatly benefitted from the EPI as compared to other regions with more than 90 per cent of the population having access to vaccines. The story of vaccines in South-East Asia is a testament to scientific progress, global collaboration, and unwavering commitment to public health. This article aims to discuss the journey of EPI in the WHO SEAR.

Keywords: Diseases; EPI; South-East Asia; essential programme on immunization; expanded programme on immunization; immunization; vaccination; vaccines.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Enablers for strengthening immunization programme in the WHO SEAR. Source: Adapted based on the information available on WHO SEARO website.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Trend of routine immunization coverage in WHO South-East Asia region (1980-2022). Source: Reproduced with permission from WHO Regional office for SEAR (https://immunizationdata.who.int/).
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Major achievements of 50 years of EPI in WHO South-East Asia. Source: Adapted from information available on WHO SEARO website.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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