8 Jun 2010

Vanuatu vaccine for H1N1 still to be rolled out in Pentecost

9:31 pm on 8 June 2010

Vanuatu's programme to vaccinate against H1N1 is still to be rolled out in central Pentecost where more than 400 people are waiting to be immunised.

The programme, which the Ministry of Health started three weeks ago, has been completed in many islands, but a lack of money appears to have stalled it.

The midwife at the Melsisi health center in charge of the programme, Edwidge Tabi, says while the vaccines have been delivered, there is not enough money to pay for transport.

The immunisation programme targets the people who are most at risk from H1N1, like people between 15 and 19 years of age and pregnant women.