In 1975, The World Health Assembly passed a resolution to create the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to bring vaccines to the world’s children. The goal was set to make immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and tuberculosis available to every child in the world by 1990.

Global vaccination coverage was about 5% in 1974, but the goal now is to reach at least 90% of the population nationally, and at least 80% in every district. In 2012, 59 countries had achieved this target including several low- and middle-income countries.