Vaccine rates on rise: WHO

[geovalin]

Sarah Taguiam

Coverage for several vaccines administered to infants in the Kingdom increased significantly last year, and new vaccines are slated to be introduced to the National Immunisation Program’s (NIP) immunisation schedule by 2016, health officials confirmed yesterday.

According to new estimates released by the WHO last week, coverage for a Hepatitis B vaccination administered at birth increased from less than 60 per cent in 2013 to 87 per cent in 2014, while polio vaccination coverage rose to 98 per cent – a small gain over 2012 figures after a vaccine shortage saw the 2013 rate plummet to just 77 per cent.

“We are planning to introduce the inactivated polio vaccine . . . this October as it’s more effective in eradication than the current oral poliovirus vaccine,” said the WHO’s immunisation program technical officer, Dr Chham Samnang.

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