The WHO establishes the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in May 23, 1974 through a World Health Assembly resolution (WHA27.57) to build on the success of the global smallpox eradication programme, and “to ensure that all children in all countries benefited from life-saving vaccines” It aimed was to control six major childhood diseases through immunization: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) a vaccine against tuberculosis. [1, 2, 3, 4]
“Following the impressive success of the smallpox eradication programme, the World Health Organization looked for other activities that could build on what had already been achieved. … “Expanded” because most programmes until then had only used smallpox, BCG and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccines.” EPI included two new diseases namely poliomyelitis and measles.
The vaccine “selection was “made on the basis of a high burden of disease and the availability of a well-tried vaccines at an affordable price. “Expanded” also meant increased coverage – incredibly, less than 5% of children in developing countries were being reached at that time by immunization services.”
The EPI program was looking to end in 1977 due to lack of funding, but got a boost when UNICEF stepped in! The programme developed training materials and disseminated them widely. The push for universal childhood immunization in the 1980s meant “almost every country in the world adopted the principle of a national immunization programme.” Each decade the WHO pushes an new Immunization Agenda. [5]
“EPI has marked several key milestones over the years, including the [declaring the] eradication of smallpox in 1980, which stands as a monumental triumph in the history of immunization.” They’re still working on polio etc.