The board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation has approved a plan to support new and underused vaccines to combat seven deadly diseases in poor nations.

The financial support, expected to be announced at the alliance’s next board meeting in October, will help boost the fight against cervical cancer, cholera, typhoid, meningitis A, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, and rubella.

“This strategy will attack some of the world’s major diseases and gives us a new challenge in our efforts to provide good health to the world’s most vulnerable people,” said Julian Lob-Levyt, executive director of the alliance.

Cervical cancer, for example, Mr Lob-Levyt said, “affects more than five million women …