UN says funds threaten yellow fever immunization in Nigeria and Ghana

[Shiloh]

Source: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/7028887.html

UN says funds threaten yellow fever immunization in Nigeria
20:20, June 17, 2010

A shortage of funds for yellow fever vaccine could result in the exclusion of people in Nigeria and Ghana from upcoming vaccination campaigns, according to a statement from UN agencies reaching here on Thursday.

UNICEF, WHO, the Red Cross and Medecins sans Frontieres are part of the International Coordinating Group on Yellow Fever Vaccine Provision.

At a meeting in Geneva to review progress, the group determined that additional funds were needed to maintain the global emergency vaccine stockpile for outbreak response and to reach an additional 120 million people at risk.

Some 61 million people have been immunized in West Africa since 2007, the statement said.

Yellow fever is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, mostly during the rainy season.

According to WHO estimates, 200,000 cases and 30,000 deaths occur every year and recent outbreaks show that yellow fever virus had continued to circulate in Africa, as well as the Americas.

Source: Xinhua

 

[Shiloh]

Re: UN says funds threaten yellow fever immunization in Nigeria and Ghana

Source: http://www.zeenews.com/news634742.html

Over 120 million people at risk of yellow fever in W Africa
Updated on Thursday, June 17, 2010, 19:09 IST

United Nations: Over 120 million people are at risk of yellow fever in Nigeria and Ghana, the UN and its partners have warned and appealed for mass vaccination campaigns in the region to save them from the deadly disease.

According to United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Coordinating Group (ICG), over the past three years, campaigns across West Africa have enabled 61 million people to be immunised, protecting them from the risk of devastating yellow fever outbreaks.

While global yellow fever vaccine production capacity has tripled in the past decade from 30 million to 90 million doses per year, lack of funding is likely to result in reallocation of available supply and reduced production.

The continuing financial shortfall is threatening the global supply of yellow fever vaccine and could result in the exclusion of the two countries from upcoming campaigns.

Funds are needed to maintain the global emergency vaccine stockpile for outbreak response and to reach an additional 120 million people at risk.

Vaccine manufacturers have indicated willingness to scale-up production, provided there is commitment to purchase...