Tagged:

South African Govt to Introduce New Vaccines to Improve Coverage

As part of efforts to improve coverage of existing vaccines, the Department of Health is set to introduce new vaccines to be included in the routine expanded program on immunisation at a cost of U.S.$186 million (R3.5 billion).

Health Minister, Joe Phaahla, noted that South Africa continues to experience outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, despite a strong childhood vaccination programme. He said there is an ongoing need to improve coverage of existing vaccines and add new vaccines to the expanded program on immunisation schedule.

The move comes several months after funding was secured for the much-anticipated phase 3 trial of an experimental tuberculosis vaccine and less than a year after the National Institute for Communicable Disease warend the country of a measles outbreak aftr it noted an increase in the number of measles infections due to an outbreak in Limpopo province.

InFocus

Nasief Manie/Spotlight

(file photo).

Follow AllAfrica

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.