Brazilian Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao announced Tuesday that the government will launch a four-stage vaccination campaign against A/H1N1 influenza in March.

The Health Ministry counts on a stock of 83 million doses and a total of 81 million people are expected to receive the vaccine for free.

The first stage, which starts on March 8 and lasts until March 19, will focus on health workers and the entire indigenous population.

In the second phase, from March 22 to April 2, people with chronic diseases will be vaccinated except the elderly, including people suffering from grade 3 obesity (morbid obesity), diabetes, liver and kidney diseases. Children between six months and two years of age will also be inoculated at this stage.

The third stage will be from April 5 to 23, and focuses on the healthy population aged 20 to 29 years; while the fourth, from April 24 to May 7, will vaccinate people over 60 who are troubled by chronic illnesses.

Pregnant women may receive the vaccine at any time of the campaign. In 2009, the A/H1N1 flu virus sickened nearly 40,000 Brazilians, 1,705 of whom have died.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2010)