GAVI to Grant Vietnam $37M to Buy Five-in-One Vaccines by 2012

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) will grant Vietnam $37 million to purchase five-in-one vaccines for under-one-year-old children from now up to 2012, state media reported. Nguyen Tran Hien, head of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology said that the combination vaccine will help guard children against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and meningitis. Vietnam, which reports 1.5 million new-born babies a year, will kick off the vaccination program from June, Hien noted.