GAVI will provide funding worth US$165 million which “paves the way for the introduction of pentavalent five-in-one vaccine in India, where some 27 million children are born each year. This is the first phase of a national roll-out which will start in 10 states. More than 18 million children in India will be immunised.” The pentavalent vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. GAVI noted that the introduction of this pentavalent vaccine in India “will mean that now more than 90% of the world’s poorest children will be vaccinated against Hib.” India Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad commented, “The introduction of the pentavalent vaccine in India is a critical step in our government’s efforts to protect all Indian children from deadly diseases. We are glad to be working with the GAVI Alliance to turn this long-held vision into a reality for millions of families. I am extremely thankful to GAVI for assistance given for pentavalent vaccine.”

http://www.gavialliance.org/media_centre/press_releases/2009_08_11_india_pentavalent.php