Cabinet approves the use of vaccines in Fiji

Cabinet has approved the introduction of three new vaccines to the Fiji immunization programme yesterday.

The new vaccines are the pneumococcal vaccine, and rotavirus vaccine for children under five years, and the HPV vaccine for 12-14-year-old girls.
 
Cabinet based its decision on a submission by the Minister for Health, Dr Neil Sharma.
 
The Minister said that immunization is a key public health intervention in protecting humans against harmful infections or diseases.
 
“It is considered one of the most important cost effective public health interventions for the protection of children and women’s health contributing to the attainment of MDG 4 and 5.”

Dr Sharma said that Fijian children are currently protected from 9 serious infectious diseases, namely measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough),poliomyelitis, tetanus, rubella, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis B and Hemophilus influenza type B (Hib) in its immunization schedule.

The Minister said that although the pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines will not impact substantially in averting mortality rates their impacts will be mainly on marked reduction in morbidity or ill-health in children as these diseases are significant causes of presentations to health facilities.
 
“Additionally the Pneumococcal vaccine has also been trialled in the Fijian population and has not shown any adverse or untoward events in the use of these vaccines.”

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Source: Fiji Live