Pope to buy 'vaccination bond'

VATICAN CITY, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI plans to show his support for an international vaccination program by buying the first British "vaccination bond."

Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican Justice and Peace Department, is scheduled to be in London when the government instruments go on sale Tuesday, the Italian news agency Ansa reported.

Eight countries have joined in the International Financing Facility for Immunization. In addition to Britain, they are Brazil, France, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Spain and Sweden.

Under the program, the sponsors are to sell bonds which will put money in vaccination programs immediately, with the governments repaying the loans in the future. The program is to cover 72 poor countries.

"The sum of the bonds purchased will go directly to the most needy populations and in particular to the large scale vaccination of under-fives," Martino said.