pneumonia

This was annunced by Pierrick Lesines, the keynote speaker at the recent launch of the two vaccines – Rotavirus (Rota) and Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in SANMA.

Lesines said with this challenging situation, it is a priority goal for the Vanuatu government to protect children.

“It is our hope that the introduced vaccines will reduce the number of deaths among children in SANMA province and throughout Vanuatu,” the senior government representative said.

The national launch will take place in SHEFA Province on Friday.

The vaccines that help prevent pneumonia and diarrhea known as Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), and Rotavirus Vaccine.

The third vaccine known as Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) targets children in school years 4 and 5 and helps prevent HPV infection and cervical cancer.

Rotavirus and Pneumococcal vaccines will be given to children 0–1-year-old at Mother and Child Health clinics throughout the country and will become part of the routine vaccine programme.

The Chief Medical Officer, Bernard Fouke, says there has been a number of people living in close proximity with different populations, which was the most likely reason for the surge in illness.

Dr Fouke told the Cook Islands News that hundreds of people have been struck by illness, but that few of them are sick enough to require hospital treatment.

He says the increase in illness was anticipated and well handled by authorities on Rarotonga.