The vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Her Excellency, Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, yesterday morning, on behalf of President Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, officially launched the new Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV-7), at a colourful ceremony held at the Kanifing Municipal Council chambers.

The launching of this new vaccine, which was described as timely considering the diseases that it will prevent, availed The Gambia, as the second country in the sub-Saharan Africa to introduce the PCV7 into its routine immunization services. In her launching statement, Vice President Njie-Saidy said the launching of this new vaccine is another milestone in the annals of the country's Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

She indicated that the EPI is now fully integrated into the reproductive and child health programme, noting that this amalgamation has brought immunization services close to the doorsteps of Gambians. She observed that since the inception of the EPI, a large number of vaccine-preventable deaths among infants and children were averted. "Clearly, health is one of the social sectors that have undergone impressive social and technical transformation under my government," remarked the vice president, while indicating that The Gambia has over the years, introduced three new vaccines in addition to the original six traditional vaccines.

"In this process, the government's commitment has been resolute and unwavering. The cost of vaccines and essential consumables are always factored in our national budget, as pronounced in the Co-Financing Policy document with the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiatives (GAVI)," she noted.

The Gambia's immunization programme, according to Vice President Njie-Saidy, has been recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the best in the sub-Saharan Africa. She observed that the best way to contain the spread of any infection or communicable disease, for which effective vaccines are available, is to prevent it through immunization.

The new vaccine, according to her, is very expensive in the international market, but expressed government's commitment in partnership with GAVI to give it out free of charge to every child living in The Gambia. She stated that it is comforting that the new vaccine has the potential of averting a considerable number of pneumonia and related deaths in children.

Speaking earlier, the minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Mariatou Jallow, said the introduction of PCV-7 into the country's routine immunization services indicates the graduation of its EPI programme to an advanced level recognized by the World Health Organization. The invasive nature of pneumococcal disease in children, according to Minister Jallow, has driven the search for a vaccine. She noted that the efficacy and safety of the vaccine has been widely certified by the international scientific community. The vaccine, she indicated, is 89 percent effective in preventing invasive disease caused by pneumococcal. The Health minister expressed hope that the routine use of the new vaccine can avert a significant number of needless childhood deaths by the year 2015 and move The Gambia to reaching MDG 4.

Describing President Jammeh as a strong advocate of health agenda, Dr Jallow expressed government's commitment to saving the lives and improving the health status of the children and families. She urged parents to take full advantage of the initiative. Deputizing the country representative of the World Health Organization, Dr Babagana Ahmadu, the FAO country representative, described the launching as significant, noting that the vaccine is introduced against what he described as the world's most feared and leading child killer disease- pneumonia.

The launching of this vaccine in The Gambia, according to Dr Ahmadu, is no surprise to them in the World Health Organization. The Gambia, he indicated, has always been in the forefront and is widely quoted in providing affordable and quality immunization services to its children. Such services, he added, is one of the best in the African region, thanks to the support of a responsive and caring government and committed citizenry. "These efforts have been translated into tangible results notably the reduction of infant mortality. We only hope that today's launching of this new vaccine, will further contribute to the reduction of infant and childhood morbidity and mortality," the FAO boss said.

The deputy representative of UNICEF to The Gambia, Edele Thebaud also described the launching as significant for Gambians particularly for the women and children. She noted that the launching paves way for the administration of the vaccine to all children under five years. Madam Thebaud, who gave account of the history of immunization, said it has eradicated small pox, noting that it is on the verge of eradicating polio. At the end of the program, the vice president and the health minister administered the vaccine.

Mayor Yankuba Colley of KMC described the launching as significant and assured of his council's commitment to the initiative. Present at yesterday's launching were the speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Elizabeth Renner, ministers, National Assembly members and a cross section of development partners and Gambians.