Expanded Program on Immunization

INTRODUCTION

The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) was established in 1976 to ensure that
infants/children and mothers have access to routinely recommended infant/childhood
vaccines.

Six vaccine-preventable diseases were initially included in the EPI: tuberculosis,

poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and measles. Vaccines under the EPI are
BCG birth dose, Hepatitis B birth dose, Oral Poliovirus Vaccine, Pentavalent Vaccine,
Measles Containing Vaccines (Antimeasles Vaccine, Measles, Mumps, Rubella) and
Tetanus Toxoid. In 2014, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 13 was included in the
routine immunization of EPI.

BACKGROUND

B. Program Goals:

Over-all Goal: To reduce the morbidity and mortality among children against the most
common vaccine-preventable diseases.

Specific Goal:

1. To immunize all infants/children against the most common vaccine-preventable

diseases;
2. To sustain polio-free status of the Philippines;
3. To eliminate measles infection;
4. To eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus;
5. To control diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis b and German Measles;
6. To prevent extra pulmonary tuberculosis among children.

REP ACT NO 10152

The mandatory basic immunization under RA 10152 covers measles and other vaccine-
preventable diseases such as tuberculosis; diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; poliomyelitis;
mumps; rubella or german measles; hepatitis-B, and H. influenza type B or HIB.
PROGRAM STRATEGIES
1. Conduct of routine immunizations for infants/children/women through Reaching
Every Purok Strategy.
 The Reaching Every Purok Strategy is an innovation of the Reaching every
Barangay.
2. Supplemental immunization Activities (SIA)
 Supplemental immunization activities are conducted to reach children who have
not been vaccinated or have not developed enough immunity after previous
vaccinations.
3. Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance
 Surveillance is conducted for all vaccine-preventable diseases most especially
for measles cases and indigenous wild poliovirus.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the live attenuated vaccine form of Mycobacterium bovis used to
prevent tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections. The vaccine was developed by Calmette and
Guérin and was first administered to human beings in 1921. BCG is the only vaccine against tuberculosis.
It is the most widely administered vaccine and usually a part of the routine newborn immunization
schedule. BCG vaccine also offers protection against non-tuberculous mycobacteria
infection like leprosy and Buruli ulcer. It is also used in the treatment of superficial carcinoma of the
bladder.

Immunization is one of the most important public health interventions and a cost effective strategy to
control the infectious diseases especially in children.
Pentavalent Vaccine is a vaccine that contains five antigens (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and hepatitis
B and Haemophilus influenzae type b)

What are the advantages of Pentavalent Vaccine? The addition of Hib vaccine provides protection
against one more deadly disease. protection against The number of injections administered under UIP
during the first year of life reduces from nine to six. It does not require reconstitution

Till what age can Pentavalent Vaccine be administered? As per National Immunization Schedule,
Pentavalent Vaccine should be started for any child aged more than 6 weeks and can be given up to 1
year of age.

What are the side effects of Pentavalent Vaccine? Pentavalent Vaccine has not been associated with any
serious side effects. However, redness, swelling and pain may occur at the site where the injection was
given. These symptoms usually appear the day after the injection has been given and last from 1 to 3
days. Less commonly, children may develop fever for a short time after immunization.

nfant Mortality Rate in the Philippines

Remains Unchanged At About 35 Deaths
Per 1,000 Births
Reference Number:
1999-007
Release Date:
Wednesday, February 10, 1999
While under-five mortality has declined slightly in recent years from 54 deaths
per 1,000 births in 1988-92 to 48 deaths for the period 1993-1997, infant
mortality rates have remained unchanged at about 35 deaths per 1,000 births.
The relationship of a mother's level of education to the health and well-being
of her child is evident in that the probability of dying among infants whose
mother received no formal schooling (79 deaths per 1,000) is two and a half
times higher than that for infants whose mother has had some high school
education (31 deaths per 1,000).

Lack of sufficient medical care, before and at the time of delivery, can
increase the risk of complications and infections that can cause death or
serious illness for either the mother or the newborn. While most Filipino
mothers (86 percent) receive prenatal care from a health professional, the
proportion of recent births for which the mother received two or more tetanus
toxoid vaccinations during pregnancy declined from 42 percent in 1993 to 38
percent. Moreover, because two-thirds of all births are delivered at home, only
56 percent of mothers receive assistance at delivery from a health
professional. Despite these needed improvements, maternal mortality has
remained low at approximately 200 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

Breastfeeding with all its healthful and economic advantages is the best form
of feeding during the first six months of infancy. Although most Filipino babies
(88 percent) are breastfed for some time, NDHS data indicate that
supplementation with other liquids and foods occurs too early. The first breast
milk, or colostrum, is particularly beneficial to newborns because it contains a
high concentration of antibodies that protect children against certain infectious
diseases. In the Philippines, among newborns less than two months of age,
one in seven is not breastfed, and 19 percent are receiving supplementary
foods in addition to breast milk.

Full immunization coverage of children age 12-23 months has only slightly
improved from 72 to 73 percent between 1993 and 1998. When the data are
restricted to vaccines received before the child's first birthday, however, only
65 percent of children age 12-23 months can be considered fully vaccinated.

Source: National Statistics Office