Submitted by Alima on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 07:11.
Indian government has decided to include a vaccine for pneumonia in the national immunization programme.
Pneumonia is responsible for nearly 20% of all childhood fatalities in India. vaccine that cover DPT (diphtheria, pertusis, tetanus), hepatitis B and pneumonia and meningitis caused by the Hib bacteria.
Single-shot vaccine would be expensive.India will soon start vaccinating children against pneumonia, which accounts for a fifth of all deaths of kids below five years in the country.