PROTECTING THE WORLD'S CHILDREN An Agenda for the 1990s

Abstract

The 3rd Bellagio conference was held on March 10-12 1988 at Talloires France. It was convened to ensure continued commitment to the goal of universal childhood immunization by 1990 and the provision of the necessary support to that end. The principal foci of the meeting were sustainability of immunization the addition of new and better vaccines and the introduction of other major cost-effective health initiatives. When the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) started work in 1974 only 5% of the children of the developing world were immunized. It is now expected that in 1990 the long-term EPI goal of 80% of the worlds children immunized will be achieved. Many new more powerful and more specific vaccines are expected to be available by the end of the century. At the conference detailed discussions of the control of diarrheal diseases and of fertility took place. I was clear at the meeting that the Child Survival and Development Revolution has generated massive political commitment to child health throughout the developing world.