The Hindu : New Delhi News : `10 million lives could be saved through immunisation'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 10, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

`10 million lives could be saved through immunisation'

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Ten million lives could be saved through child and maternal immunisation between 2006-2015 at an average annual cost of one million US dollars, according to a new study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The study was presented at the Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) Partner's Meet that ended here on Friday. The report covers the potential impact that immunisation can have over the next decade besides outlining the financial requirements needed to make this a reality in developing countries.

"Immunisation is one of the best values for public health investments today; adequate resources and the right strategies lead to concrete results. We have achieved much progress already through immunisation, but much more can and should be done. WHO through GAVI and with partners including UNICEF is looking at achieving a massive impact in lives saved through immunisation over the next decade,'' said, WHO director-general, Lee Jong-Wook.

It was also announced that India would get 100 million dollars from GAVI Alliance during the next five years for its immunisation programme. GAVI executive secretary Julian Lob-Levyt said: "India would get money to increase the coverage of immunisation programme.''

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