To meet growing health needs, China is considering upgrading its national immunization strategy by adding more vaccines that prevent burdensome diseases, including human papillomavirus and pneumococcus, officials and experts said over the weekend.

The country's free immunization program currently includes 14 vaccines that protect against 15 diseases. National coverage rates have exceeded 90 percent, leading to historic lows in the incidence of measles, hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, epidemic meningitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Li Bin, president of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, said the country has made significant progress in vaccine development and quality control, as public demand for high-quality health services continues to grow.

Among the vaccines recommended by the World Health Organization for national immunization programs, China has yet to adopt four: those protecting against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), HPV, pneumococcus and rotavirus, Li said at the 2025 National Vaccines and Health Conference held in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Saturday and Sunday.

"The availability and vaccination coverage of these vaccines should be further improved," he said. "Achieving equitable access to these highly effective vaccines and promoting their gradual integration into the national program is vital for elevating the overall health of Chinese people."

Shen Hongbing, deputy director of the National Health Commission and head of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, said at the event that the central government allocates more than 3 billion yuan ($420 million) annually to ensure the supply and safety of vaccines. He added that China has built an extensive vaccination service network.

Each rural township or urban neighborhood now has at least one vaccination unit, and the number of vaccination professionals nationwide had reached 456,000 by the end of 2024, he said.

However, coverage rates for vaccines that are not part of the program are higher in more developed eastern provinces than in central and western regions, highlighting the need to expand the program to promote health equity, Shen said.

"The national strategy primarily targets children under age 6, while less attention is given to vaccines for adults, especially pregnant women, older adults and other vulnerable groups," he said.

Economic studies also show that the cost of treating diseases such as HPV, Hib, shingles (herpes zoster) and pneumococcus far exceeds the cost of vaccination.

Shen said China's vaccine manufacturing capacity is capable of meeting expanded demand.

"Some local governments have already piloted broader vaccine offerings," he said. "Thirteen provincial-level regions and more than 10 cities have introduced bivalent HPV and shingles vaccines into their local immunization strategies or provided them for free through other programs."

Vaccines that are internationally recognized as essential and linked to high disease burdens will be prioritized for inclusion, Shen said. Additions must also be cost-effective, affordable and capable of being produced at scale.

He added that authorities will optimize immunization schedules for existing vaccines based on the latest epidemiological data and vaccine characteristics, while considering phasing out outdated or redundant vaccines.

wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn