Health policy
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The circulation of wild poliovirus is expected to cease soon due to the success of the global polio eradication initiative. Thereafter, intensified polio eradication efforts such as National Immunisation Days (NIDs) will most likely be discontinued. As a consequence, the expanded programme on immunization (EPI) will no longer enjoy extra inputs from the polio eradication initiative. We investigated whether today's EPIs are ensuring universal and equitable vaccine coverage; and whether the removal of extra inputs associated with the implementation of NIDs is likely to affect EPI coverage and equity. ⋯ As additional inputs associated with polio eradication will cease, routine EPI services need to be strengthened substantially in order to maintain levels of population immunity against polio and to improve social equity in the coverage of non-polio EPI antigens. Our findings imply that this aim will require additional inputs, particularly in African countries.