The government of Japan will continue to support the expanded programme on immunisation (EPI) in Bhutan for the next three years.

The health secretary, Dasho Dr Gado Tshering, the resident representative of JICA, Tetsuo Yabe, and head of development cooperation division of the GNH commission, Thinley Namgyel, signed a project agreement on Monday.

Under the project, the Japanese government will supply vaccines and vaccine storage equipment, also called cold chain equipment. Japanese technical advisers will also train Bhutanese health workers. Japan has supported the health sector through EPI by supplying traditional vaccines like oral polio vaccines, measles and rubella, tetanus toxoid, diptheria tetanus, bacilli calmette guerin and related injection equipment since 1995.

The health secretary said that, since 1995, Bhutan’s health record indicated less number of people suffering from diseases such as polio, measles and tetanus and others.

“This was made possible with the Japanese government’s assistance to regular expanded program on immunisation,” he said. “The agreement will go a long way in supporting the Bhutanese by keeping them healthy, happy and also in achieving the goal of poverty reduction.”

Resident representative, Tetsuo Yabe, said that the Japanese government would continue their support to Bhutan in achieving the 10th plan goal of poverty alleviation.