KATHMANDU: Child Health Division (CHD) under Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has introduced a vaccine for five different diseases. The vaccine called pentavalent immunises human body against diseases such as diphtheria, whooping chough, tetanus, Hepatitis B and Haemo Philes Influenza B.

Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, director of CHD, said the vaccine would help bring down child mortality rate to a large extent. The total number of deaths caused by pneumonia is around 11,000 deaths annually.

According to a recent survey, child mortality still remains 0.61 per cent. Upreti said, CHD launched vaccination in 25 districts of Far Western and Western Development region on April 14. He added that by the mid August, all the children below the age of one in all the 75 districts would be vaccinated.

The vaccination would be provided through 16,000 Expanded Programme on Immunisation health posts through out nation. A child should be vaccinated six weeks, ten weeks and 14 weeks after birth. He viewed that with vigorous immunization, vitamin A supplementation and community based integrated management of childhood illnesses programs has played a vital role in bringing down mortality rate.