"It is very worrying that a high number of our children die even before their fifth birthday. Sadly, many of these deaths are caused by diseases that are vaccine-preventable." This was said by health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi in announcing his department's Catch-Up Immunisation campaign starting tomorrow.
This four-month Catch-Up programme, done in collaboration with the private sector is aimed at providing children under five with an additional dose of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine PCV13 that is meant to protect them and their communities against pneumococcal diseases.
Since his appointment as health minister, Motsoaledi has expressed his concern around the unacceptable under five mortality rate attributing it to poor primary healthcare interventions such as immunisation. “In fact, I am worried that given our performance in this area (infant and child mortality) we may not be able to realise our millennium development goal (MDG) commitments especially the one about reducing child mortality," said Motsolaedi.
Targeted groups for this Catch-Up Immunisation campaign are:
- All children between 18-36 months
- Children with underlying medical conditions, e.g. HIV infection, cardiac conditions and those who are on cytotoxics.
The Department calls upon all parents and care-givers to take advantage of this opportunity and take their children to clinics to receive their immunisation.
Background notes for the media on the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) 13 Immunisation Catch-Up Drive
From the 3rd of February to the end of May 2012, the Department of Health, through the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) programme will provide an additional dose of PCV13 that is meant to protect children and the communities against pneumococcal diseases. This supplemental immunisation activity is called a “PCV 13 Catch Up Drive”.
In 2009 the EPI in South Africa introduced two new vaccines. These are pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) which protects against diseases caused by pneumococcus (streptococcus pneumoniae); and rotavirus, which protects against rotavirus diarrhoea. Both these vaccines protect against serious infections which cause a significant amount of morbidity and mortality.
The first PCV vaccine used had seven different serotypes and provided protection from pneumococcal disease estimated to be about 68% of all invasive pneumococcal disease in our setting. In 2010 the Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America (USA) licensed the use of a much broader PCV that contains 13 serotypes, which results in protection of about 80% and more in our setting. In May 2011 the EPI programme in South Africa changed over to use the newer PCV with a higher level of protection.
In order to get maximum benefit of the introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine, it is common practice to conduct a catch up campaign that targets children below five years. Due to the high price of the vaccine and other compelling needs, it was not possible to conduct such a campaign. This was considered a missed opportunity, but that nevertheless had to be accepted due to the circumstances.
However, on the drug supply side an agreement was reached the company (that initially supplied the vaccines) would donate 1,6 million doses to the immunisation programme, that would be used for the Catch-Up immunisation.
This donation was a significant contribution that had to be used most effectively to provide protection of children in our country concentrating on the most vulnerable.
Subsequently a plan was developed to conduct supplemental immunisation activities that would act as the recommended Catch-Up campaign using the 1.6 million of donated doses. Considering the limitations of funds the plan was developed such that the donated doses could cover most of the targeted group.
It should be highlighted that the targeted groups are divided into two:
- First group is all children between the age of 18 months and 36 months
- Second group is children with underlying medical conditions.
The second group includes children with HIV infection, cardiac condition, those who are on cytotoxics and those with no spleen and other similar conditions. These children in the second group although much fewer, carry the greatest burden of the disease and account forabout 70% of invasive pneumococcal disease.
It should be further highlighted that PCV provides protection not only for the targeted children, but through reducing carriage of the bacterium in the blood, it also protects many others who are not vaccinated like the elderly, adults with cardiac and immune-compromising conditions and the HIV infected. It was with this consideration that the Catch-Up Drive was planned and also considering the call from Minister.
This immunisation activity called the “PCV 13 Catch-Up Drive”which uses the newer vaccine is to be conducted over four months; thus allowing enough time for parents to bring children to facilities whilst at the same time allowing enough cold chain space (fridge space) as these vaccines come single packed and thus use a lot of cold chain space.
Considering the four months period during which this supplemental immunisation activity will be conducted as supposed to an ordinary campaign which normally runs over one to two weeks, it was decided that it will be referred to as the “Catch-Up Drive” and not as an immunisation campaign.
It is also during this time that all parents and caregivers are encouraged to bring children to facilities to be vaccinated and ensure that children are up to date with their immunisation.
Since his appointment in 2009, the health minister has expressed the importance of children to be immunised as part of dealing with the high infant and child mortality in our country.
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Cell: 079 517 3333
Tel: 012 395 8493
