Immunization makes its mark

The Expanded Program on Immunization in China was initiated to support the government's efforts to control the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases through timely vaccination, effective surveillance, and by strengthening China's routine immunization program.

The EPI has three overarching goals: Maintaining poliomyelitis-free status until global eradication and subsequent certification are achieved; eradicating measles by 2015; and reducing chronic hepatitis B infection to less than 2 percent among children under 5 by 2012 (which has been achieved).

The EPI team works closely with the National Immunization Program to strengthen immunization systems, improve coverage and quality, support the implementation of targeted disease-prevention efforts (for illnesses such as measles, viral hepatitis and polio), and to examine the potential introduction of new vaccines.