Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)

The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was established in 1974 through a World Health Assembly resolution (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.
EPI consists of not only vaccine management, but also huge range of services including service delivery, epidemiological and laboratory surveillance for targeted diseases, safety injection, monitoring for adverse events following immunization and proper waste management etc.
Currently, EPI focuses on five main areas (i) universal vaccination for the targeted group of the population (ii) disease reduction targets (iii) new vaccines surveillance, (iv) epidemiological and laboratory surveillance and (v) awareness and advocacy.