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Swine Flu: WHO, Nigeria, 19 Others Seek Vaccine Plan
From Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja, 11.24.2009
In a move designed to establish a coalition against the spiralling effect of the pandemic, H1N1, otherwise known as Swine flu, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria and 19 other English-speaking African countries yesterday began a five-day inter-country workshop on the best approach to deploy the new H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine and other ancillary supplies.
Speaking in Abuja, Country Representative of WHO in Nigeria, Peter Eriki, said the disease had become a matter of global concern that required international partnerships and cohesion to overcome.
He said the disease had spread to 206 countries and territories with the possibility of spreading to other yet to be affected parts of the globe.
?There have been more than 6,250 deaths to date, mostly in the Americas region. As of November 9, 2009, 29 countries in the African region reported 14, 868 laboratory confirmed human cases of Pandemic (H1N1 2009) including 103 deaths. The latest laboratory-confirmed cases are in Somalia, Nigeria and Burundi?, he said.
Eriki noted that globally teenagers and young adults continue to account for the majority of the cases with rates of hospitalisation highest in very young children. According to him, 10 per cent of patients with clinical illness require hospitalisation among whom 10 ? 25 per cent would require admission to an intensive care unit. He noted that it put additional pressure on the health system of low and middle income countries.
?We have gathered here today to discuss how to deploy Pandemic H1N1 vaccine and develop vaccination plans in our countries. It is hoped that this will provide the needed impetus for countries to adopt vaccination strategies and priorities that would save lives and ease the burden on health systems in line with the recommendations of Strategic Advisory Group Experts on Immunisation (SAGE).?
In his remarks, Minister of Health, Babatunde Osotimehin, who was represented by Mr Ben Nwobi, said the vaccine deployment plan was the next most important step in the fight against the pandemic and assured on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.
He said at the end of the deliberations, Nigerians would be informed about the quantity of the vaccines coming to Nigeria and the collaborative strategy with WHO.
Countries in attendance include Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania, and Niger among others.
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=160571
From Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja, 11.24.2009
In a move designed to establish a coalition against the spiralling effect of the pandemic, H1N1, otherwise known as Swine flu, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria and 19 other English-speaking African countries yesterday began a five-day inter-country workshop on the best approach to deploy the new H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine and other ancillary supplies.
Speaking in Abuja, Country Representative of WHO in Nigeria, Peter Eriki, said the disease had become a matter of global concern that required international partnerships and cohesion to overcome.
He said the disease had spread to 206 countries and territories with the possibility of spreading to other yet to be affected parts of the globe.
?There have been more than 6,250 deaths to date, mostly in the Americas region. As of November 9, 2009, 29 countries in the African region reported 14, 868 laboratory confirmed human cases of Pandemic (H1N1 2009) including 103 deaths. The latest laboratory-confirmed cases are in Somalia, Nigeria and Burundi?, he said.
Eriki noted that globally teenagers and young adults continue to account for the majority of the cases with rates of hospitalisation highest in very young children. According to him, 10 per cent of patients with clinical illness require hospitalisation among whom 10 ? 25 per cent would require admission to an intensive care unit. He noted that it put additional pressure on the health system of low and middle income countries.
?We have gathered here today to discuss how to deploy Pandemic H1N1 vaccine and develop vaccination plans in our countries. It is hoped that this will provide the needed impetus for countries to adopt vaccination strategies and priorities that would save lives and ease the burden on health systems in line with the recommendations of Strategic Advisory Group Experts on Immunisation (SAGE).?
In his remarks, Minister of Health, Babatunde Osotimehin, who was represented by Mr Ben Nwobi, said the vaccine deployment plan was the next most important step in the fight against the pandemic and assured on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.
He said at the end of the deliberations, Nigerians would be informed about the quantity of the vaccines coming to Nigeria and the collaborative strategy with WHO.
Countries in attendance include Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania, and Niger among others.
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=160571