National expanded programme on immunisation for children

Even just about a couple of decades ago, it was quite common to see our children fall victim to certain serious infectious diseases, over which we had very little control.

- BY DR B. J. C. PERERA

Illnesses such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox and typhoid were rampant and seemed to rule the roost. There were regular mass epidemics of some of these nasty diseases, which occurred with disconcerting regularity. Some of these diseases killed children, while others left them severely disabled. For some of these diseases, like polio, there was no specific treatment either. In fact, just a few decades ago, the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, our premier medical institution for children, provided designated wards to look after some of these diseases, the wards being labelled as Diphtheria Ward, Polio Ward, etc. These are really things of the past now as a result of measures taken to prevent the occurrence of these dreaded diseases by successful immunisation, which to the general public means vaccinations.

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Health started the Immunisation Programme all those long years ago to try and control the unfortunate occurrence of some of these diseases. Initially, the entire enterprise was viewed with some suspicion by the general population, and it took some time to build up confidence in the programme. Gradually, people started to join in and vaccinate their children. With time, the programme evolved into the present day Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) of the Ministry of Health.