Since the foundation of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1974, vaccines have provided the single greatest contribution to improving health outcomes globally, particularly among children and infants.
Widespread immunization has substantially reduced the morbidity and mortality rates from diseases such as tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, yellow fever, meningitis A and many others.
The vaccination has contributed for 40% of the decline in global infant mortality, 52% in the African region.
In 2024, a child younger than 10 years is 40% more likely to survive to their next birthday relative to a hypothetical scenario of no vaccination.
Increased survival probability is observed into adulthood as well, individuals aged 25 years are 35% more likely, and those aged 50 years are 16% more likely to survive to their next birthday [16] After eradication of smallpox in 1980, nine other eradication and elimination strategies have been established: The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (1988) Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (1989) The Measles & Rubella Initiative (2001) The End TB strategy (2015) The Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis (2016) The Global Technical Strategy for Malaria (2016) The Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics Strategy (2017) The Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer (2020) The Global Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis (2020)[15]