Vaccine Helps Uganda Eliminate Hib Meningitis

Washington (dbTechno) - According to the GAVI Alliance, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations, vaccinations in Uganda have managed to completely eliminate Hib meningitis in the country. The incidence of the disease in the children of Ugana is now at zero.

GAVI stated that the vaccines, which have been used from 2002 to 2006, managed to completely get rid of the Hib meningitis in children.

The vaccine is made by the U.K.’s GlaxoSmithKline.

The government of Ugana was able to use 16.5 million doses of the 5-in-1 vaccines, thanks to the support of GAVI.

The vaccine protects against Hib meningitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, as well as hepatitis B.

The Bulletin of the World Health Organization has stated that the new vaccine program in Ugana prevents 5,000 child deaths each year, and 30,000 severe cases of Hib disease.

The Hib vaccine has proven very successful on a worldwide scale as well, working in locations such as Kenya, Chile, and Bangladesh.

GAVI is a public-private partnership which includes the World Health Organization as well as the World Bank. It is heavily supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as others.