VIENTIANE, April 1 -- Nearly one and a half million Lao children are set to benefit from a China-developed vaccine that prevents the spread of a deadly and debilitating mosquito- borne virus which has no known cure.

The vaccine against Japanese encephalitis (JE) is being offered across Laos in a concerted campaign towards protecting all children in the country from the virus found in tropical.

While not all infections result in the development of the disease, for those who it does, the symptoms include potential for death, reduced life expectancy and lifelong neurological disabilities.

The campaign is a cooperative effort between the Lao government and international organizations such as WHO, UNICEF and the Gavi public-private vaccine alliance.

The partners are hoping eradicate the disease from the country and beyond by vaccinating children, deemed the most at risk group.

Addressing the launch of the campaign, Laos' Deputy Prime Minister Dr Pankham Viphavanh said 1,460,000 Lao children aged 12 months to 15 years would receive preventative doses free of charge.

He called on all concerned to work together to ensure the target of 95 percent immunization was exceeded in every village and district across the country.

The vaccine, developed by Chengdu Institute of Biological Products, is the first from China to be pre-qualified by the WHO and continued to undergo further research to help share the benefits more widely among those for whom it is most needed, according to Yang Lingjiang, manager of international business and cooperation of the institute.

Gavi CEO Anuradha Gupta commended Laos on its commitment to spreading the benefits of vaccination and disease prevention to its population, and highlighted the positive socio-economic returns from investment in prevention.

"20,000 die from JE worldwide every year, and those who survive suffer from extreme disabilities," she said.

"Vaccination does not just bring down morbidity and mortality especially among children, but also brings economic gains because children who are vaccinated are healthier, less prone to illness, have better school attendance and better prospects throughout their lives."