Vaccinations for the World
international |
sci-tech |
news report 
Wednesday January 26, 2005 10:11
by iosaf mac d
"part three in a series explaining pandemic biohazard to you"
# diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) measles, tuberculosis, and polio.
These are the illnesses you ought to have been immunised against as a child or as a teenager if you're female.
With the exception of tuberculosis these desiese are now controlled in the developed world. TB is returning and TB treatment centres are found in most eastern US cities and many European cities. I'll write about the new forms of TB in the fourth of this series.
# hepatitis B
# Hib
# yellow fever
are desieses against which many millions of children in the non developed world need vaccines.
Yesterday, the Gates foundation gave 750 million$ to GAVI the global vaccine alliance.
The donation was immediately supported by the state of Norway which gave $290 million, and this morning the UK has committed a further 750mil$ (=£400m) . These are comitments of annual support until the year 2015.
An estimated 27 million children in the developing world still aren't immunized each year; in 2002, this resulted in 2.1 million deaths. WHO estimates that $8-$12 billion will be needed from both donor and developing country governments from 2005-15 to immunize children in the poorest countries with vaccines available today; more will be needed to introduce new vaccines now in the development pipeline.
This includes the cost of providing one shot syringes, and training of health workers, transport of health workers and the making of the vaccines.
It is completely practical and possible to eradicate some of these desieses from the planet within 10 years and control the others.
It is not idealist, utopian or even "that alternative".
It is a practical achievable goal.
& together we're all going to score it.
It won't cost an arm and a leg.
The total amount needed for phase one (vaccinating all children in the 72 poorest countries) is about 5 billion $. This will be followed by a widening of secondary vaccination.
So the soft maths are-
Gates - 750mil$
Norway 290mil$
UK - 750mil$
France and Sweden are now considering the size of their donations.
The shortfall for phase one will be at the end of the week approx 2,8 billion $.
The remaining ten richest states of the world could do well to emulate the Norwegians as could the remaining billionaires of the world.
"Immunizing children is one of the most important and cost-effective development investments donor governments can make," said Jens Stoltenberg, Vaccine Fund board member and former Prime Minister of Norway, who negotiated Norway's first grant to GAVI which averages 300 million kroner or 50 million $ a year.
"Children must have a healthy start if we hope to reduce poverty and build strong economies."
If our brother or sister is dying at home, then he or she can not go to school.
And our brothers and sisters are dying.
And our brothers and sisters are not going to school.
Dr LEE Jong-wook, Director-General, of WHO (World Health Organization) and Chairman of the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization has said-
"Despite remarkable progress in the past three decades in immunization coverage world-wide, it is unacceptable that in the 21st century, about two million people still die each year of infectious diseases that could have been entirely prevented through basic vaccinations.
People in developing countries will benefit enormously from these additional funds which will further the development and introduction of new vaccines, increase access to underused vaccines and strengthen national immunization systems."
The Stated position of the WHO Europe on proividing vaccinations is this-
"In the 21st century, it is every child's right to live free from vaccine-preventable disease. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective health interventions available and although today's vaccines are highly effective and safe, new challenges are emerging.
The goal of our programme is to reach and maintain high levels of immunization of children at the appropriate age and at the recommended doses, particularly children in vulnerable groups. To do this, the WHO Regional Office for Europe helps its Member States strengthen their programmes for the control of infectious disease through partnerships with them, with international organizations and with bilateral agencies."
Their current major initiatives include working with the Robert Koch Institute
the promotion of safe immunization practices
the introduction of new and underused antigens
the elimination of measles, linked to accelerated prevention of congenital rubella infection; and
the maintenance of the poliomyelitis-free status of the European Region.
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Media reaction to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation donation-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/microsoft/Story/0,2763,1398009,00.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=604286
Donation to be matched by the UK-
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e6ab90ea-6f43-11d9-94a8-00000e2511c8.html
World Health links-
immunisation for SE Asia, is now a priority after the disaster which has left many children at risk from Hepatitis and Diptheria in addition to the constant threat from polio-
http://w3.whosea.org/EN/Section1226.asp
WHO in africa-
http://www.who.int/about/contactregional/en/
The GAVI organisation-
http://www.vaccinealliance.org
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Previous articles with updates in the comments on Global Health issues-
Flu pandemics and search for cure-
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=68157
AIDS/HIV pandemic and search for cure-
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=68118