The World Health Organisation says it will send several million H1N1 vaccine doses to around a dozen African countries in the coming weeks.

Togo was the first country to receive help, in late February. The vaccines have been donated by pharmaceutical companies and countries who used fewer doses than anticipated. So far, 16 countries across the world have received vaccines from the WHO.

Some 17,000 people have died of the virus since the H1N1 outbreak about a year ago.