Myrna C. Cabotaje
Director, National Center for Disease Prevention and Control
Department of Health
Manila, Philippines
Abstract
The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) of the Department of Health is a priority public health program aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality among children against the seven vaccine-preventable diseases: polio, measles, neonatal tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. EPI strategies include routine immunization, national and subnational campaigns, and outbreak-response campaigns. Demographics play a very important role in the planning and implementation of public health programs. An increase in population translates to a greater budgetary requirement for routine and special immunization activities. Some of the related issues concern the determination of more reliable population statistics, updating the birth rate and fertility rate values, inclusion of new vaccines, and expansion of services to other high-risk groups. The challenges to DOH and local government units are outlined.