Tehran – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has partnered with the Ministry of Health to provide two cargoes, including the pneumococcal conjugated vaccine (PCV) and the pentagonal vaccine, immunizing about 1.5 million children against deadly disorders across the country.
The latest batch of PCV vaccines (200,250 vials) that arrived in Iran on July 30, 2025 were announced in a press release on August 6, following previous shipments containing PCV and rotavirus vaccines in April.
These efforts were made possible with the support of the Gavi Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, a global organization that helps improve vaccine access in low- and middle-income countries.
On August 3, another major shipment landed: 465,000 pentameric vaccines.
The PCV vaccine was added to Iran’s national vaccination schedule in 2024. Protects young children from dangerous diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, and blood infections. Pneumonia remains one of the top killers of under five children worldwide, so putting this vaccine in infants is a life-saving step.
The five-day vaccine provides protection against five serious illnesses in one shot: Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping cough, Hepatitis B, and HIB. It is usually given to babies in the first year as part of their regular vaccination schedule.
UNICEF is also working hard to ensure that these vaccines are effective from the moment they arrive in the country until when they are given to each child. That means supporting cold chain systems, such as walk-in refrigerators and specially equipped delivery trucks, to keep the vaccine at the right temperature. UNICEF also trains healthcare workers and provides technical support to ensure vaccines are processed safely and in accordance with international standards.
And another shipment of the rotavirus vaccine will soon be expected, further expanding protections for Iranian children.
With each birth, UNICEF confirms that every child in Iran has a considerable opportunity to get a healthy start in life.
In March 2024, UNICEF assisted in the delivery of 564,000 PCVs to prevent pneumococcus-related infections and deaths among children in Iran.
The commission was the first shipment of PCV and the first shipment to the country, provided in cooperation with Iranian Ministry of Islamic Medical and Education through UNICEF’s procurement services, using Iranian financial resources left behind from the procurement of the Covid-19 vaccine. The cargo arrived from India and landed at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran on March 17th.
National Vaccination Program
In May, the Ministry of Health began distributing domestically produced five-phase vaccines nationwide.
“Around 800,000 vaccines have been developed so far, and this number is expected to reach 1.2 million over the next two to three days,” the IRNA quoted Mehdi Pir-Salehi, director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who will be speaking on May 5th.
The Pentavalent vaccine was integrated into the national vaccination program in November 2014. According to the National Vaccination Program, each child is required to receive the pentagonal vaccine three times at two-month intervals. The first is usually the end of the second month of your life.
The vaccination program to combat pneumococcus and rotavirus began in February 2024 after being missed from a 10-year vaccination schedule.
Children can receive free pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines at all medical centers across the country, according to Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raeisi.
Pneumococcal vaccines can be injected when babies are 2, 4, and 12 months old. Babies can get three rotavirus vaccines at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. The vaccine is administered by putting drops into the child’s mouth.
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