Immunization upgrade considered

More vaccines could join free national program to meet growing health needs

To meet growing health needs, China is considering upgrading its national immunization strategy by adding more vaccines that prevent burdensome diseases, including human papillomavirus and pneumococcus, officials and experts said over the weekend.

The country's free immunization program currently includes 14 vaccines that protect against 15 diseases. National coverage rates have exceeded 90 percent, leading to historic lows in the incidence of measles, hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, epidemic meningitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Li Bin, president of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, said the country has made significant progress in vaccine development and quality control, as public demand for high-quality health services continues to grow.