Independent External Review of EPI-VPD surveillance in Thailand, 1-8 September 2025

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of Thailand, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional office for South-East Asia, conducted an extensive external review of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) surveillance on 1–8 September 2025. The review aimed to assess the current state of immunization and VPD surveillance programmes and provide recommendations for strengthening these critical health services to achieve national, regional and global goals and targets.

The review team, comprising experts from various fields – including from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the National Centre for Immunization Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) – conducted a thorough examination through extensive desk reviews of programme data and documentation, site visits and interviews with key stakeholders. The team visited national programmes and seven provinces, including two districts in each province, observed immunization sessions and interviewed caretakers and mothers in the community.

Key findings from the review highlighted the strengths of Thailand’s National Immunization Programme (NIP), including its legislative basis, good programme coverage and effective vaccine security management. The programme has achieved significant milestones, such as the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus and no wild polio virus since 1997.

However, the review also identified several challenges, including low vaccination coverage in some provinces and population groups; the risk of disease importation from neighboring countries and the spread of transmission; and suboptimal surveillance leading to late detection of disease threats. The review emphasized the need for improved coordination mechanisms, better understanding of programme coverage and enhanced syndromic surveillance systems.

The review concluded with an overall set of recommendations to strengthen the immunization and surveillance programme in the main report as well as recommendations for each of the thematic areas and for provinces visited in the respective section in the Annexes.