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,
2. Sustaining the polio-free country for global certification
3. Eliminating measles by 2008,
4. 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.

General Principles in Infants/Children Immunization

• Because measles kills, every infant needs to be vaccinated against measles at the age of 9 months or as soon as
possible after 9 months as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule. It is safe to vaccinate a sick child who is suffering
from a minor illness (cough, cold, diarrhea, fever or malnutrition) or who has already been vaccinated against measles.
• If the vaccination schedule is interrupted, it is not necessary to restart. Instead, the schedule should be resumed using
minimal intervals between doses to catch up as quickly as possible..
• Vaccine combinations (few exceptions), antibiotics, low-dose steroids (less than 20mg per day), minor infections with low
fever (below 38.5º Celsius), diarrhea, malnutrition, kidney or liver disease, heart or lung disease, non-progressive
encephalopathy, well controlled epilepsy or advanced age, are not contraindications to vaccination. Contrary to what the
majority of doctors may think, vaccines against hepatitis B and tetanus can be applied in any period of the pregnancy.
• There are very few true contraindication and precaution conditions. Only two of these conditions are generally considered
to be permanent: severe (anaphylactic) allergic reaction to a vaccine component or following a prior dose of a vaccine, and
encephalopathy not due to another identifiable cause occurring within 7 days of pertussis vaccination.
• Only the diluent supplied by the manufacturer should be used to reconstitute a freeze-dried vaccine. A sterile needle and
sterile syringe must be used for each vial for adding the diluent to the powder in a single vial or ampoule of freeze-dried
vaccine.
• 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.
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. Inappropriate storage, handling and transport of vaccines won’t protect patients and may
lead to needless vaccine wastage.
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
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,
2. Sustaining the polio-free country for global certification
3. Eliminating measles by 2008,
4. 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.

General Principles in Infants/Children Immunization

• Because measles kills, every infant needs to be vaccinated against measles at the age of 9 months or as soon as
possible after 9 months as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule. It is safe to vaccinate a sick child who is suffering
from a minor illness (cough, cold, diarrhea, fever or malnutrition) or who has already been vaccinated against measles.
• If the vaccination schedule is interrupted, it is not necessary to restart. Instead, the schedule should be resumed using
minimal intervals between doses to catch up as quickly as possible..
• Vaccine combinations (few exceptions), antibiotics, low-dose steroids (less than 20mg per day), minor infections with low
fever (below 38.5º Celsius), diarrhea, malnutrition, kidney or liver disease, heart or lung disease, non-progressive
encephalopathy, well controlled epilepsy or advanced age, are not contraindications to vaccination. Contrary to what the
majority of doctors may think, vaccines against hepatitis B and tetanus can be applied in any period of the pregnancy.
• There are very few true contraindication and precaution conditions. Only two of these conditions are generally considered
to be permanent: severe (anaphylactic) allergic reaction to a vaccine component or following a prior dose of a vaccine, and
encephalopathy not due to another identifiable cause occurring within 7 days of pertussis vaccination.
• Only the diluent supplied by the manufacturer should be used to reconstitute a freeze-dried vaccine. A sterile needle and
sterile syringe must be used for each vial for adding the diluent to the powder in a single vial or ampoule of freeze-dried
vaccine.
• 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.
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. Inappropriate storage, handling and transport of vaccines won’t protect patients and may
lead to needless vaccine wastage.
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

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,
2. Sustaining the polio-free country for global certification
3. Eliminating measles by 2008,
4. 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.

General Principles in Infants/Children Immunization

• Because measles kills, every infant needs to be vaccinated against measles at the age of 9 months or as soon as
possible after 9 months as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule. It is safe to vaccinate a sick child who is suffering
from a minor illness (cough, cold, diarrhea, fever or malnutrition) or who has already been vaccinated against measles.
• If the vaccination schedule is interrupted, it is not necessary to restart. Instead, the schedule should be resumed using
minimal intervals between doses to catch up as quickly as possible..
• Vaccine combinations (few exceptions), antibiotics, low-dose steroids (less than 20mg per day), minor infections with low
fever (below 38.5º Celsius), diarrhea, malnutrition, kidney or liver disease, heart or lung disease, non-progressive
encephalopathy, well controlled epilepsy or advanced age, are not contraindications to vaccination. Contrary to what the
majority of doctors may think, vaccines against hepatitis B and tetanus can be applied in any period of the pregnancy.
• There are very few true contraindication and precaution conditions. Only two of these conditions are generally considered
to be permanent: severe (anaphylactic) allergic reaction to a vaccine component or following a prior dose of a vaccine, and
encephalopathy not due to another identifiable cause occurring within 7 days of pertussis vaccination.
• Only the diluent supplied by the manufacturer should be used to reconstitute a freeze-dried vaccine. A sterile needle and
sterile syringe must be used for each vial for adding the diluent to the powder in a single vial or ampoule of freeze-dried
vaccine.
• 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.
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. Inappropriate storage, handling and transport of vaccines won’t protect patients and may
lead to needless vaccine wastage.
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