YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Starting 2007, it is envisaged to carry out mass vaccination against measles in Armenia. Gayane Sahakian, Head of the National Immunoprevention Program, stated during the November 27 discussion that citizens between the ages of 27 and 30 are currently being vaccinated against measles free of charge. In her words, this step is consistent with the strategy of the World Health Organization (WHO), under which it is envisaged to eradicate measles in all countries by 2009. G. Sahakian said that the three-valent vaccination of children against measles, German measles and mumps has been done in Armenia since 2002. The vaccination is carried out in two age groups - 1 and 6 year-old children, and it is envisaged to vaccinate 38 thousand children in each age group. By now 85% of children of this age have been vaccinated. This year's vaccination has already been completed, and bids for importing 127 thousand dosages of the three-valent vaccine in 2007 have been submitted for the purpose of vaccination and reserve keeping. It was noted that 50% of the vaccine is obtained with the support of the Millennium Armenian Children's Vaccination Fund and the technical assistance of the UNICEF, and the remaining 50% - with the support of the Vishnevskaya-Rostropovich Fund.

---