History of immunization schedule in Turkey

The history of the modern vaccine began with the Edward Jenner and the smallpox vaccine (1796) in the 18th century and remained so for 90 years until the Pasteur (1885 rabies vaccine). The Ottoman Empire was the first state that obliged the smallpox vaccine by Sultan Abdülmecid. The vaccination services with the establishment of the Republic of Turkey continued. In Article 88 of the General Hygiene Law published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey on May 6, 1930 both child and adult smallpox vaccination had officially been started. In 1937, diphtheria and pertussis vaccines, BCG vaccination in 1952, polio vaccination in 1963, tetanus vaccine in 1968 and measles vaccine in 1970 were added. Smallpox vaccination was terminated in 1980 due to eradication of the disease throughout the world. The expanded immunization program was launched in our country in 1981. Hepatitis B vaccine in 1998, Rubella, Mumps and Hib (meningitis) vaccines in 2006, conjugated pneumococcal vaccine in 2008, Hepatitis A vaccine in 2012 and varicella vaccine in 2013 was added to the extended immunization program. In the extended immunization program, there are currently 13 vaccinations. In this study, the vaccination starting with the smallpox vaccine in Turkey has been traced in the history, and the histories of the developments and vaccinations has been examined. References of the study are copies of Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Health circulars, social and medical literature and books of medical history. Key Words: Vaccination, Vaccination Schedule, Pediatrics, Turkish History of Medicine