The Ministry of Health has added a new vaccine for children which will protect them against 13 strains of pneumococcal infections.
According to a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA), the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV 13) replaces the PCV 7 conjugate vaccine which was used in 2009 and provided protection against seven types of pneumococcal infections.
Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy, in his address to the mothers gathered at the Herstelling health centre reiterated the importance of having children immunised. He referred to the impact of polio on newborns in the 1960s prior to the introduction of the polio injection, which was promoted by late former president Janet Jagan. The last polio case was documented in 1962.
The new vaccine is given to infants and toddlers to protect them from serious diseases caused by pneumococcal bacteria such as pneumonia, ear infections, and meningitis. It is administered at the same time with other vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus, a cellular or whole-cell pertussis, haemophilus influenza type b, hepatitis, rotavirus and oral polio.
The vaccine will also be given to infants with sickle cell disease or any other chronic illnesses; however, children who are very ill will require consultation with a doctor before administration. Parents can expect children to suffer side-effects such as slight fever and pain at the injection site. Administration of PCV 13 started at all health centres in January with three doses given at two months, four months and six months while a fourth dose is given when the child is one-year-old. Immunisation is free of cost.
Dr Ramsammy noted that the PCV 13 provides a wider span of protection against infections that can severely affect young children. In 2010 between 95 and 98 per cent of children were immunised with 15 different kinds of vaccines. The 2011 immunisation programme will cost the ministry $400M. Govern-ment is covering 91% of the costs while the remainder will be provided by the sector’s international partners, which include the World Health Organisation, Pan American Health Organisa-tion and the Global Alliance on Vaccine and Immunisa-tion.
In 2001, there were three vaccines which were in preparation internationally; the pneumococcal, rotavirus and HPV vaccines. Government had committed to obtaining these vaccines when they became commercially available and in 2009 the pneumococcal vaccine was introduced with Guyana being one of the first developing countries to access it.
The ministry also said it has noted a dramatic reduction in the illnesses and death of young children. “Twenty years ago the death rate was 100 in every 1000 children; that has now reduced to 20 in every 1000 mainly as a result of the protective vaccines offered,” the release said. In addition, the ministry has also requested the HPV vaccine as a counter agent for cervical cancer. In the coming months it will announce when parents are to take their daughters, aged 11 to 13 years-old, to be immunised.
In recent years, a vaccination campaign was launched for vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and yellow-fever. The campaign had over 90% coverage. It aimed at reaching over 95% coverage in low coverage areas. Particular attention has also been given to remote locations such as regions one, seven, eight and nine to ensure that they are logged on to the ministry’s immunisation programme.
