Another Trio of African Nations Introduce Vaccinations Against A Significant Child Killer
Three African nations: Benin, Cameroon and the Central African Republic have made plans to introduce vaccinations to help fight off pneumonia, one of the leading childhood killer diseases globally.
The vaccination programs are being partially financed by the GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. The vaccines will help to save many lives and will aid in the prevention of pneumococcal disease, the main disease that is primarily responsible for pneumonia. Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of 5 whereas the disease pneumococcal is also additionally responsible for causing meningitis. Meningitis is known to leave those that survive it with terrible and often permanent disabilities; this includes rendering some individuals mentally retarded and causing them seizures.
The governments of the three aforementioned African nations will soon begin to make the vaccines available to their citizens. The Central African Republic's Minister of health, Doctor Jean Michael Mandaba says that the introduction of these vaccines against pneumonia are representative of the crossing of a major bridge in the securing of the health and wellbeing of the worlds young generations. Dr Mandaba went on to say that this vaccine will give new hope to the young generation and they will now be able to grow up to live a productive and healthy future.
The Cameroonian Health Minister, Doctor André Mama Fouda said that the vaccines against pneumonia will prove to be of utmost significance in the very livelihood of African nations where infections of pneumonia are currently accountable for nineteen to twenty one percent of the mortality rates of children below the age of five. The doctor further said that Cameroon, Benin and the Central African Republic will make these vaccines available to their respective citizens during the immunisation programmes which are scheduled to occur in July 2011. In conclusion The doctor said that it is hope that many other nations within the African continent will follow this example and aid in the protection of their younger generations.
The Benin Health Minister Professor Dorothée Akoko Kindé Gazard say that Benin is determined to combat pneumonia and is proud to be a co financer of the life saving vaccine. She went on to say that Benin and other African nations need to show great commitment if they wish to sustain these immunisation programmes.
The CEO of GAVI Interim, Helen Evans said that on behalf of the GAVI Alliance, she wishes to fully offer her congratulations to Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Benin for showing leadership in the fight to reduce child mortality rates. Furthermore, Helens said that together they are providing these young children within those African nations with the best tools to help prevent the life threatening pneumonia disease.