VACCINE
PREVENTABLE
DISEASES
Situation analysis
The EPI programme in Jordan reached routine immunization coverage of more than 95% in 1996. Mainly due to an adverse event that occurred during a school vaccination campaign with Td, immunization coverage figures decreased and remained less than 90% up to 1999. In 2000, Jordan reported coverage of 91% with DPT3, 94% with OPV3, 92% with measles and 93% with HBV3. The EPI programme made a lot of achievements especially in measles and neonatal tetanus elimination and in new vaccines introduction.
A nationwide measles catch-up campaign was successfully conducted in two rounds (1997-99). This has resulted in an important decrease in measles confirmed cases from around 400 cases reported annually since 1994 (except the outbreak registered in 1997 with 7026 cases) to only 115 cases in 1999 and 32 cases in 2000.
Jordan has succeeded in reaching and maintaining neonatal tetanus elimination (defined as less than one case per one thousand live births in each district) despite the fact that 2 to 3 cases of neonatal tetanus are still occurring yearly since 1995, and TT2+ coverage among pregnant women has not exceeded 32%. However, the total proportion of immune women is higher than this since many pregnant women have already got the needed doses before the current pregnancy and do not need booster doses. To avoid this issue, Jordan started recently using ''protection at birth'' as principal method to monitor the pregnant women TT immunization programme.
Hib and rubella vaccines were recently introduced in the routine EPI.
Main achievements and constraints
An increase in coverage has been achieved in recent years. More work is needed. New vaccines have been introduced.
Programme Objectives
Achieve and maintain over 95% routine immunization coverage against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis and measles among children under-one year of age and with tetanus toxoid among pregnant women
Priorities
Increasing coverage
Performance indicators
- Coverage rate
