As many as 2.3 million doses of a new five in one vaccine are now available free-of-charge for children under the age of one as part of the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation which began on June 1.
The vaccine, which protects against the five diseases of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B, has been supplied by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Jean Dupraz, deputy head of UNICEF in Vietnam, told a ceremony announcing the launch of the programme in Hanoi on June 1 that the use of the five-in-one vaccine will also help to expand Vietnam ’s immunisation programme.
Deputy Health Minister Trinh Quan Huan said that over the past 20 years, the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation has adapted to include new diseases and viruses which has helped to keep millions of children healthy.
The haemophilus influenza type B vaccine is the 11th in a series of regular vaccines to be provided by the programme. With this new vaccine, children will only have to receive one vaccination instead of three to protect them against the five diseases. This is expected to reduce costs, time and human resources.
In 2008, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation contributed 36 million USD to help Vietnam bring the new vaccine into its vaccination programme over 2010 and 2011.
Statistics from the programme show that the rates of children under one year old to be fully vaccinated reached 95 percent in 2009./.
The vaccine, which protects against the five diseases of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B, has been supplied by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Jean Dupraz, deputy head of UNICEF in Vietnam, told a ceremony announcing the launch of the programme in Hanoi on June 1 that the use of the five-in-one vaccine will also help to expand Vietnam ’s immunisation programme.
Deputy Health Minister Trinh Quan Huan said that over the past 20 years, the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation has adapted to include new diseases and viruses which has helped to keep millions of children healthy.
The haemophilus influenza type B vaccine is the 11th in a series of regular vaccines to be provided by the programme. With this new vaccine, children will only have to receive one vaccination instead of three to protect them against the five diseases. This is expected to reduce costs, time and human resources.
In 2008, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation contributed 36 million USD to help Vietnam bring the new vaccine into its vaccination programme over 2010 and 2011.
Statistics from the programme show that the rates of children under one year old to be fully vaccinated reached 95 percent in 2009./.
