Brazil announced plans to produce a combined vaccine against measles and rubella and export it exclusively to poor countries; mainly to Africa, but also to Asia and other South American nations.

Health Minister Alexandre Padilha his ministry would invest A$763 million in construction of a state-of-the pharmaceutical plant at the government’s research unit in Rio de Janeiro.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is kicking in a million dollars as well.

“The agreement which we are signing provides more investment and guaranteed purchases, which makes it possible to export at the lowest cost,” said Padilha.

The new vaccine is expected to be sold for just over 50 cents pose dose.

Measles kills 158,000 people a year around the world, and most of the victims are children under the age of five.  Rubella is a contagious viral disease with symptoms like mild measles; it can cause serious consequences to pregnant women and their babies.