Encyclopedia > Expanded Program on Immunization (Philippines)
The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in the Philippines began in July 1979. And, in 1986, made a response to the Universal Child Immunization goal. The four major strategies include:[1] - Sustaining high routine Full Immunized Child (FIC) coverage of at least 90% in all provinces and cities,
- Sustaining the polio-free country for global certification
- Eliminating measles by 2008,
- Eliminating neonatal tetanus by 2008.
Routine Schedule of Immunization
Every Wednesday is designated as immunization day and is adopted in all parts of the country. Immunization is done monthly in barangay health stations, quarterly in remote areas of the country.
Routine Immunization Schedule for Infants The standard routine immunization schedule for infants in the Philippines is adopted to provide maximum immunity against the seven vaccine preventable diseases in the country before the child's first birthday. The fully immunized child must have completed BCG, DPT 1, DPT 2, DPT 3, OPV 1, OPV 2, OPV 3, HB 1, HB 2, HB 3 and measles vaccines before the child is 12 months of age[2]. | Vaccine | Minimum Age
at 1st Dose | Number
of Doses | Dose | Minimum Interval Between Doses | Route | Site | Reason | | Bacillus Calmette-Guérin | Birth or anytime after birth | 1 | 0.05 mL | -- | Intradermal | Right deltoid region of the arm | BCG given at earliest possible age protects the possibility of TB meningitis and other TB infections in which infants are prone[3] | | Diptheria-Pertussis-Tetanus Vaccine | 6 weeks | 3 | 0.5 mL | 4 weeks | Intramuscular | Upper outer portion of the thigh | An early start with DPT reduces the chance of severe pertussis[4]. | | Oral Polio Vaccine | 6 weeks | 3 | 2-3 drops | 4 weeks | Oral | Mouth | The extent of protection against polio is increased the earlier the OPV is given.
Keeps the Philippines polio-free[5]. | | Hepatitis B Vaccine | At birth | 3 | 0.5 mL | 6 weeks interval from
1st dose to 2nd dose,
8 weeks interval from
2nd dose to third dose. | Intramuscular | Upper outer portion of the thigh | An early start of Hepatitis B vaccine reduces the chance of being infected and becoming a carrier[6].
Prevents liver cirrhosis and liver cancer which are more likely to develop if infected with Hepatitis B early in life[7] [8].
About 9,000 die of complications of Hepatits B. 10% of Filipinos have Hepatitis B infection[9] | Measles Vaccine
(not MMR) An apparatus (4-5 cm length, with nine short needles) used for BCG vaccination in Japan. ...
DPT, (sometimes DTP) is a mixture of three vaccines, to immunize against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. ...
Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat polio. ...
| 9 months | 1 | 0.5 mL | -- | Subcutaneous | Upper outer portion of the arms | At least 85% of measles can be prevented by immunization at this age[10]. | ==General Principlach vial for adding the diluent to the powder in a single vial or ampoule of freeze-dried vaccine[11]. - The only way to be completely safe from exposure to blood-borne diseases from injections, particularly hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is to use one sterile needle, one sterile syringe for each child[12].
Tetanus Toxoid Immunization Schedule for Women When given to women of childbearing age, vaccines that contain tetanus toxoid (TT or Td) not only protect women against tetanus, but also prevent neonatal tetanus in their newborn infants[13]. | Vaccine | Minimum
Age/Interval | Percent
Protected | Duration of Protection | | TT1 | As early as possible
during pregnancy | -- | -- | | TT2 | At least 4 weeks later | 80% | - infants born to the mother will be protected from neonatal tetanus
- gives 3 years protection for the mother
| | TT3 | At least 6 months later | 95% | - infants born to the mother will be protected from neonatal tetanus
- gives 5 years protection for the mother
| | TT4 | At least 1 year later | 99% | - infants born to the mother will be protected from neonatal tetanus
- gives 10 years protection for the mother
| | TT5 | At least 1 year later | 99% | - gives lifetime protection for the mother
- all infants born to that mother will be protected
| In June 2000, the 57 countries that have not yet achieved elimination of neonatal tetanus were ranked and the Philippines was listed together with 22 other countries in Class A, a classification for countries close to maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination[14].
Care for the Vaccines To ensure the optimal potency of vaccines, careful attention is needed in handling practices at the country level. These include storage and transport of vaccines from the primary vaccine store down to the end-user at the health facility, and further down at the outreach sites[15]. Inappropriate storage, handling and transport of vaccines won’t protect patients and may lead to needless vaccine wastage[16].
A "first expiry and first out" (FEFO) vaccine system is practiced to assure that all vaccines are utilized before its expiry date. Proper arrangement of vaccines and/or labeling of expiry dates are done to identify those close to expiring. Vaccine temperature is monitored twice a day (early in the morning and in the afternoon) in all health facilities and plotted to monitor break in the cold chain. Each level of health facilities has cold chain equipment for use in the storage vaccines which included cold room, freezer, refrigerator, transport box, vaccine carriers, thermometers, cold chain monitors, ice packs, temperature monitoring chart and safety collector boxes [17].
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