Children in Ghana to be vaccinated against diarrhoeal disease with the introduction of GSK’s Rotarix™ vaccine

Abstract:

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) welcomes today’s GAVI announcement that GSK’s rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix™, will be introduced into the newly started national vaccination programme in Ghana. This follows the finalisation of an agreement which confirms acceptance of the offer made by GSK to GAVI in June 2011, to supply up to 132 million doses of Rotarix at a reduced price over five years. GSK will now begin supplying the vaccine through UNICEF to countries in Africa enabling millions of children in the world’s poorest countries to rec eive vaccination against rotavirus diarrhoeal disease. Rotavirus-related diarrhoea is one of the leading causes of death in children under five worldwide. It kills almost half a million children each year 1 and leads to hospitalisation of around two million more 2. While rotavirus infects virtually every child within the first five years of life 3, it is far less deadly in more developed countries, where hospitalisation and intravenous rehydration are readily available, and where vaccination is becoming more common. In developing countries, such as Ghana, the picture is very different and children die unnecessarily.

Año de publicación:

2012

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