Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A Week of Immunization of children at the age of 8-9 against acute viral hepatitis B started in Uzbekistan on 23 January 2012. The Week will last will 28 January 2012.

The Week is aimed at expanding scale of works directed at protecting health of population of Uzbekistan, UzA reported.

The Ministry of Healthcare said that it created a special headquarters to ensure high level of organization of the Week of Immunization. Some 9,500 brigades and 5,500 vaccination points were created across Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan imported modern vaccines. The Ministry of Healthcare said that the vaccines have special certificates of the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to the Ministry of Healthcare, some 800,000 children will be vaccinated within the Immunization of the Week.

Hepatitis B is acute virus disease, which affects liver. The disease can result in cirrhosis and cancer. Since 2009, Uzbekistan has been carrying out vaccination against Hepatitis B four times a year.