Government to launch new pneumonia vaccine

By Kiundu Waweru

The Kenyan Government is about to launch a new vaccine against the biggest child killer disease, pneumonia.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), over 800,000 children under five years die from pneumococcal disease every year. In the developing countries, children under the age of two are most at risk.

Mohammed Sheba, a senior clinician in charge of the Child Ward at Kilifi District Hospital says that the highest number of admissions is that of pneumonia.

The vaccine Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV-10), to be launched soon in line with Millennium Development Goal number four — reducing child mortality by two-thirds by 2015, was introduced in the US in 2000. Kenya will be the third African country after South Africa and Gambia.

Pneumococcal disease is a group of diseases caused by streptococcus pneumonia bacterium, with the common diseases being pneumonia, meningitis and sinusitis.

"Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria has about 93 serotypes (strains) with the prevalence varying from region to region and country to country," explains Dr Anthony Scott, head of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Impact Study at Kemri/Wellcome Trust, Kilifi.

"PCV 10 will act on ten of the serotypes, three of which are active in Kenya," says Dr Scott.

Cost effectiveness

Initially, the vaccine available was PCV- 7. The PCV-10 Impact Study (PCVIS) is a collaboration of KEMRI and the Government through the Division of Vaccines and Immunization (DVI) to monitor the impact and the cost effectiveness of the vaccine for four years in two control districts, Kilifi and Thika. The vaccine to be rolled out is a grant from Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

Protects majority

"The vaccine is very expensive. The manufacturers sell at $50 dollars (Sh4,000) a dose, and since the GAVI grant will run for only five years, the Government is studying to see if it will be worth paying for it with the taxpayers money after this period," says Dr Benjamin Tsofa, Kemri/Wellcome Trust and Ministry of Health Liaison Officer.

The PCV-10 will be given in all vaccination centres to children under the age of one, with a catch up campaign in Kilifi district to children under one and five years.

Pneumococcal disease mainly affects young children and the aged, perhaps due to poor immunity, but adults also carry the bacteria in the nose. Dr Scott says that research has shown that vaccinating children with PCV- 10 will protect the adults in what they call "herd immunity", also under study through PCVIS.

He says, "Vaccinating a few number of the population protects the majority. This is because the bacterium lives in the nose, and it is transmitted through coughing, picking the nose and touching others. Therefore, if you vaccinate children, they will not transmit to the parents."

Cold seasons

Dr Scott says that vaccination is not only beneficial to the individual, who after vaccination is protected, but also to the unvaccinated children, the newborns and all people.

He however adds that ultimately, the prevention of pneumococcal pneumonia transmission lies with people’s personal responsibility, including cleaning our environment and improving our hygiene and nutrition.

Dr Scott refutes the believe that cold weather, or getting wet will increase chances of one catching pneumonia, saying that the reason behind this is overcrowding.

"During cold seasons, people snuggle to each other for warmth and transmission of the bacteria, which sits in the nose is prevalent." He gives examples of winter holidays where the extended family comes together and also cites a study on the South African mines where large number of miners would be diagnosed with pneumococcal pneumonia.

Obvious benefits

Though the researchers working on PCVIS project say there is goodwill from the Government for the introduction of the vaccine, little has been done in terms of public awareness despite the obvious benefits to the community.