The World Health Organization estimates that up to 200,000 children die each year from the deadly rotavirus.
The supplies of one vaccine to prevent infection with deadly rotavirus in children Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal and Cameroon have either run out or are close to running out, officials in charge of vaccination programs told Reuters after problems with the distribution of vaccines by pharmaceutical company GSK.
THE World Health Organisation estimates that up to 200,000 children die each year from the highly contagious virus, which is the leading cause of acute dehydrating gastroenteritis in children under five worldwide.
Officials in Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal and Cameroon did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
The pharmaceutical company GSK has confirmed that there is a shortage of four million doses of the Rotarix vaccine this year, down from an expected 46 million to 42 million.
The British pharmaceutical company had already reduced agreed vaccine deliveries by ten million a year for the period 2022-2028, the GAVI Vaccine Alliance said.
GSK admitted the drop in supplies and said it was looking at ways to manage the shortfall.
For its part, Gavi argued that in addition to the reduction in Rotarix supplies in 2022 there will also be delays in deliveries.
A source familiar with the negotiations between the two sides said the delays may be due to staff absences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IMMUNITY WOUND
Supply problems are a blow as national health services struggle to regain ground lost in routine immunization of children during the coronavirus pandemic.
THE UNICEFthe UN’s children’s agency, announced that the problems caused by the pandemic represent a major setback in a generation for childhood vaccinations.
“Children will be lost,” Andrew Jones, head of the vaccination center in UNICEF’s procurement department, said in an interview, referring to rotavirus vaccine shortages.
UNICEF is working with Gavi to help send rotavirus vaccine supplies to poorer countries alongside national governments.
Both agencies said they are trying to switch to vaccines from other companies or from countries with surplus doses.
Rotarix is ​​given in two doses by mouth to infants from six weeks of age. A second dose should be given at least one month after the first and no later than 24 weeks.
According to Gavi, there are also delays in supplies of another rotavirus vaccine, Rotavac, made by Bharat Biotech, related to “regulatory procedures” although the problem is not as severe as that of the other vaccine.
RES-EMP
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