The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in Pakistan aims to immunize children between 0-23 months against eight vaccine-preventable diseases through public health centers and outreach services. While coverage has increased marginally over the last decade according to Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys, data from various surveys show widely varying results due to differences in survey methodologies. The EPI program is guided by the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group and Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee to make necessary changes based on program performance.

2. who has no affiliation with any government office or any other interest group. The
NITAG and ICC guide the EPI cell to make changes in the program as necessary.
Table 2. Trends in Vaccination Coverage
Percentage of Children Age 12–23 Months Who Received Specific Vaccines, Pakistan
Name of survey
BCG
DPT Polio Measles
Fully
immunized
1
2 3
1
2
3
PDHS (1990-
69.7
64.1
60.0 42.7
64.8

3. Immunization Program
The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) has existed for nearly thirty years. The
basic objective of the program is to reduce death, disease, and disability due to vaccine-
preventable diseases (VPDs), and to contribute to the strengthening of national health
systems and the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG-4).
1
EPI services are provided most exclusively through the public health delivery network
through fixed centers and outreach services. The centers are managed by vaccinators with
support from lady health workers (LHWs), BHU and other hospital staff; some of the EPI
centers in the PPHI-managed basic health units are managed by vaccinators with limited
assistance from the BHU staff.
Table 1. EPI Schedule
Age Vaccines
At birth BCG and OPV 0
6 weeks OPV 1 Pentavalent 1
10 weeks OPV 2 Pentavalent 2
14 weeks OPV 3 Pentavalent 3
9 months Measles
Second year of life Measles
Source: Federal EPI Cell
The EPI currently aims to immunize all children between 0 and 23 months against eight
vaccine-preventable diseases that include infant tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria,
pertussis, neonatal tetanus, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), and measles
(table 1).
Immunization coverage in Pakistan has stagnated over the last decade.. Table 2 provides
information on childhood immunization coverage from various surveys conducted in
Pakistan. The data indicates that the different surveys report widely varying results, most
likely due to different survey methodologies, including differences in questionnaire
design. Based on the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) findings, the
coverage rate increase between 1990 and 2006/07 has been marginal from 35 percent to
47 percent.