More than 110,000 children in Fiji and four other Pacific island countries will benefit from a vaccination project aimed at preventing any form of disease outbreak. [File Photo]

More than 110,000 children in Fiji and four other Pacific island countries will benefit from a vaccination project.

This is aimed at preventing any form of disease outbreak.

The four-year partnership with WHO, UNICEF, Palau, Kiribati, Republic of Marshal islands and the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau will ensure quality immunization services are provided to children especially those in remote areas.

Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says the partnership will boost their commitment in protecting the lives of infants, young children and also set the foundation for COVID vaccination.

“We are using this same strategies as we work and prepare ourselves for the COVID-19 immunization program that we will be rolling out this year.”

UNICEF Pacific Representative Sheldon Yett highlighted the seriousness of having an immunization program up and running.

“That’s why it is so critical to ensure immunization system are up and running. To ensure the childhood killers of measles, polio, typhoid and all the other diseases and we need the immunization system that are so central are fully functioning.”

Japanese Ambassador to Fiji Kawakami Fumihiro says this project is critical in introducing COVID vaccine.

“Essentially, this project will improve five island countries’ immunization coverage for children, identification and response to vaccine preventable disease outbreak.”

The support provided by the relevant bodies is aimed at strengthening immunization services in eradicating measles, rubella, neonatal tetanus and controlling hepatitis B.