The 14th annual meeting of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) opened in Hanoi on October 7 under the theme “Better Vaccine, Healthier Life”.

Addressing the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long affirmed the vital role of vaccines in reducing mortality rates caused by infectious diseases, especially among children.

According to the World Health Organisation, every year vaccines help save the lives of three million children while two million others die because they do not have access to vaccinations.

Thanks to technological advances, vaccines which could prevent 30 infectious diseases have been successfully put into operation.

In Vietnam, the expanded immunisation programme for children, after 25 years of implementation, has proved effective, Long said, adding that the rate of catching vaccinated infectious diseases reduced remarkably.

Vietnam has been recognised as one of the most successful developing countries in implementing the programme, he said.

Vietnamese vaccine manufacturers have produced and supplied 10/11 types of vaccines for the expanded immunisation programme, Long noted.

During the three-day event, delegates will discuss the demand for global community health and vaccine supply, how to approach new types of vaccines, development and cooperation.

Established in 2000, the DCVMN aims to protect people from infectious diseases by providing sufficient and good quality vaccines.

The organisation is now home to 38 vaccine manufacturers which have produced 40 types of vaccines for the expanded immunisation programme and more than 200 others which are allowed to be circulated in the market.-VNA