The World Health Organization launched the Expanded Programme on Immunization to improve access to routine childhood vaccines. It targeted diseases including measles, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and tuberculosis.

The WHO's launch of the Expanded Programme on Immunization reshaped childhood expectations globally, influencing contemporary writers. Poets began to address themes of survival and development, reflecting on the disparities in access to healthcare and protection across different societies.