The Expanded Immunization Program (EPI) was created in November 1975

The Expanded Vaccination Program (EPI) was created in November 1975 as part of a pilot project in the city of Yaoundé with the support of the Coordination Organization for the fight against Endemics in Central Africa (OCEAC) .

The EPI becomes operational

In 1982, and in the context of the adoption of the primary health care policy, the EPI will be operational throughout the national territory. Thanks to the policy of reorienting primary health care in 1993, the integration of the EPI into the package of activities of health facilities will be further strengthened.

Year 2002

Another key date will be 2002, notably with the structural reorganization of the EPI, hence the creation of a Central Technical Group and Regional Units. These Regional Units will be transformed in 2018 into Regional Technical Groups. In terms of vaccine supply, which is also part of its main mission, new vaccines were introduced in 2005 such as the yellow fever vaccine, the Hepatitis B vaccine or the vaccine. against Influenza type b bacteria. In 2020, the EPI introduced the second dose of measles and rubella vaccine and the quadrivalent vaccine against HPV infections, more specifically the serotypes causing cervical cancer and condylomas. This evolution in the vaccine supply thus came to meet the growing needs of families in view of the epidemiological dynamics observed.

Vaccines offered by the EPI

To date, the EPI offers 14 vaccines (5 vaccines in 1976) to prevent the main infectious diseases and premature mortality of children. Other necessary vaccines will still be introduced in the coming years. The supply of vaccines is made in health facilities estimated at 3,826 in the 190 health districts and 1,789 health areas of the country.

EPI component

As part of the implementation of its missions, the EPI has seven components. These are: program management, immunization service delivery, communication for development, logistics, vaccine supply and quality, epidemiological surveillance, financing, human resources management. Structurally, the EPI comprises three coordinating bodies for the following program:

• a coordination body: the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee (CCIA);
• an executive body: the Central Technical Group of the EPI (GTC-PEV) and the ten (10) Regional Technical Groups (GTR-PEV) for the implementation;
• an advisory body: the National Technical Consultative Group for Vaccination (NAGV) responsible for guiding health authorities in the field of vaccines and vaccination, the organization and operation of which are defined by a decision of the Minister of Public Health (MSP).