Vaccinating Against Their Will

A poster to promote rotavirus vaccination. Credit: Monde Kingsley Nfor/IPS.By Monde Kingsley NforYAOUNDÉ, May 7 2014 (IPS) The growing number of child deaths from diarrhoea in Cameroon has necessitated the introduction of a new vaccine (RotaTeq) designed to protect babies under five against common types of rotaviruses that cause diarrhoea. But growing skepticism over new vaccines, and lack of potable water and proper hygiene could thwart such public health efforts, experts say. “Diarrhoea is one of the top killers of children under five in Cameroon, responsible for more than 5,800 deaths in children under five yearly,” Desire Noulna of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) told IPS.There is suspicion and mistrust of vaccines among different communities in Cameroon. According to GAVI, a public-private alliance to boost immunisation, rotavirus kills more than 600 children every day in Africa, and thousands more are hospitalised or require clinic visits. Globally, rotavirus is the most usual cause of severe gastroenteritis in children, accounting for an estimated 2.4 million hospital admissions and 527,000 deaths each year. About 85 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries, mainly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In June 2009, based in large part on clinical trials in Africa that demonstrated vaccine efficacy in impoverished, high-mortality settings, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended that rotavirus vaccines be included in all countries...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Active Citizens Africa Civil Society Development & Aid Featured Gender Headlines Health Human Rights Regional Categories Religion TerraViva Europe TerraViva United Nations Women's Health Cameroon Children Vaccination Source Type: news