Manila - The Philippines on Wednesday launched a programme to immunize about half a million children below 5 years of age this year, to help prevent child deaths from illnesses which kill some 82,000 children every year. Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the government allocated 36.4 million pesos (75,800 dollars) to the immunization programme, as part of the "save a child" strategy of the Department of Health.

"The department is working very hard to push for needed health sector reforms in order to sustain gains in child health," he said. "We are also doing our best to further improve maternal health, which is very closely linked with the health and welfare of children."

Duque lamented that for every 1,000 infants born alive in the Philippines, 42 die before reaching their fifth birthday, averaging to about 82,000 child deaths every year.

More than half the child deaths are caused by malnutrition, while others died from such preventable causes as pneumonia, diarrhea, measles or injuries.

Duque said the health department's strategy would include training for mothers and health care providers on basic child care, injury prevention, nutrition and integrated management of sick children.

He said the campaign would help the Philippines meet the UN goals to bring down infant and child mortality rates by two-thirds by 2015.