PESHAWAR, Sept 22: The federal government is introducing new vaccines to safeguard children against influenza in addition to diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis and tetanus.

The government had imported the new vaccines that would be launched after training of the vaccination staff in all the provinces, officials said. “We are in the process to plan training of workers of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation regarding its administration to children and the method of its storage,” they added.

Initially, the officials said, vaccines called DPT were meant to prevent the occurrence of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus among children below the age of five. Four years ago, the government introduced Combo vaccines and also included hepatitis B in the EPI to control the growing incidences of hepatitis among children.

“Now, we have imported the new vaccine called Penta that will provide safety to children against diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis, tetanus and influenza,” they said, adding that children would get the vaccine in one shot, avoiding parents to visit health facilities several times for vaccination of their children.

The new vaccines have been imported by Bill Gate’s Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation free of cost with a view to improve the routine immunisation programme in the country in line with the objectives set forth by the Millennium Development Goals.

Health authorities admitted that basic health indicators like infant mortality rates had worsened in Fata and questioned the government’s commitment to meet MDGs by 2015.

There are several studies regarding the efficacy of the new vaccine the world over, they said, adding that the government was required to improve immunisation for childhood diseases.

The officials conceded that there had been some delay in provision of vaccines to the provinces from the federal Ministry of Health.“At the moment, the EPI staff has not been trained in administration and storage of the Penta vaccine due to which they cannot administer the vaccines to children. We are planning to arrange training sessions for vaccinators as soon as possible to start immunisation of children,” they said.