Yes, I worry how the third world campaigns are going to be managed and wonder if GAVI have put enough safety plans in place?? Children vaccinated in developed countries have access to adrenaline in the event of allergic reaction, they have vaccines that are 'safer' (such as IPV instead of live oral polio vaccine that can cause polio and DTaP that causes less local reactions than DPT), they have easy access to hospitals and it is easier to store the vaccines.
In third world countries they are routinely given vaccines ruled unsafe in the developed world (such as a brand of MMR that was withdrawn for causing meningitis and they then used it in Brazil), because it is cheaper to use these banned vaccines. Many vaccine camps I read about did not have adrenaline or any emergency facilities to deal with allergic reactions and many parents live in remote areas with no access to hospital in the event of a side-effect.
There are problems with the cold chain and keeping the vaccines at the right temperature so kids end up getting injected with spoiled vaccines and this can cause death. India have recorded officially 128 deaths from vaccines in 2010, which may be down to cold chain problems (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-29/india/29596453_1_vaccine-deaths-aefi-deaths-public-sector-vaccine-units).
I think if they are going to spend that much money on vaccine campaigns they need to improve the cold chain, improve the hospitals, make sure there are emergency facilities in areas where they vaccinate and there should be a blanket ban universally on all vaccines that were withdrawn.
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Yes, I worry how the third world campaigns are going to be managed and wonder if GAVI have put enough safety plans in place?? Children vaccinated in developed countries have access to adrenaline in the event of allergic reaction, they have vaccines that are 'safer' (such as IPV instead of live oral polio vaccine that can cause polio and DTaP that causes less local reactions than DPT), they have easy access to hospitals and it is easier to store the vaccines.
In third world countries they are routinely given vaccines ruled unsafe in the developed world (such as a brand of MMR that was withdrawn for causing meningitis and they then used it in Brazil), because it is cheaper to use these banned vaccines. Many vaccine camps I read about did not have adrenaline or any emergency facilities to deal with allergic reactions and many parents live in remote areas with no access to hospital in the event of a side-effect.
There are problems with the cold chain and keeping the vaccines at the right temperature so kids end up getting injected with spoiled vaccines and this can cause death. India have recorded officially 128 deaths from vaccines in 2010, which may be down to cold chain problems (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-29/india/29596453_1_vaccine-deaths-aefi-deaths-public-sector-vaccine-units).
I think if they are going to spend that much money on vaccine campaigns they need to improve the cold chain, improve the hospitals, make sure there are emergency facilities in areas where they vaccinate and there should be a blanket ban universally on all vaccines that were withdrawn.
June 22, 2011 - 3:31amThis Comment
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