Dr. Gabriel Thimoté, Director General of the Ministry of Public Health and Population has announced a pilot experience of vaccination against cholera, on a small number of people, should begin in Haiti during the month of February.

"...at the beginning the Ministry had reticence about the vaccination against cholera due to lack of vaccine availability and also because of the fact that the vaccine that had been chosen, [the Shanchol], had not yet pre-qualification of the World Health Organization (WHO). But after contacts, meetings with experts, both Haitian and foreign, and especially, after approval by the WHOof vaccine Shanchol, which is an oral vaccine that does not require major conservation measures, the Ministry opted for vaccination against cholera in Haiti.

Note that it is not a study, it is not a research experience, this is not a test this is not a drug, it is a vaccine that allows to have a certain protection against cholera. In the pilot project, we will limit the population to about 200 volunteers [...] to analyze the results and to enable us to extend it to a larger number in the population. [...]

Before vaccination, there will be awareness campaigns, because the vaccination project is an addition to the prevention campaign that we always do, hand washing etc... We will do it in a manner that we can extend it to the whole population [...] to allow us to obtain results in a general way [...] The vaccination campaign will start in February [...] we will inform the public of all stages of the vaccination."

The Dr Thimoté insists that it is not a test or experimental experience, recalling that the vaccine Shanchol is given in a number of other countries in the world and that its effectiveness can just reach over 80%. [...].

Learn more about the Shanchol and mass vaccination :

The Shanchol, an orally administered vaccine against cholera, recently approved by WHO, was developed by "the International Vaccine Institute" in Seoul (South Korea), through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates and is manufactured by "Shantha Biotechnics' in India.

Until recently, oral vaccines against cholera, easier administrable, have been little used. The immunization generally requires two doses per adult and 3 per child , spaced at least one week. A recurring reminder is necessary which the frequency varies with age of the patient. The vaccine provides protection a week later. The effectiveness of this protection appears to be variable, but people who are vaccinated and would be again contaminated, they would escape to the severe form of the disease.

There is no example in the world, of mass vaccination for cholera during an epidemic. This lack of experience and considerable logistical problems related to the preparation, storage of vaccine and monitoring of patients [double or triple vaccination and regular recall periods] make the application of a large-scale vaccination complex and difficult.

Lire aussi :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-4056-haiti-health-a-vaccine-will-be-tested-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-4592-haiti-health-pohdh-position-of-the-oral-vaccine-against-cholera.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1986-haiti-epidemic-vaccination-against-cholera-true-or-false-hopes.html

HL/ HaitiLibre