Ottawa, May 02: Canada has announced it was providing 100 million USD to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) or its immunisation and vitamin programmes for children in developing countries. International development minister Susan Whelan told reporters that the lion's share of the money, 56 million USD, was for a five-year programme to support vaccination and immunisation of children against such diseases as tuberculosis, measles, diphtheria and tetanus.

A further 21 million USD will help finance supplies of newer vaccines recently developed to fight off hepatitis B and yellow fever. The final 23.5 million USD to supply vitamin A capsules to fight off, among other things, blindness among children in developing countries. The final 23.5 million USD to supply vitamin A capsules to fight off, among other things, blindness among children in developing countries.