The Haitian Government has presented this week, its plan of vaccination of at least 90% of children under one year against most common diseases of childhood has announced the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Jon Andrus, Deputy Director of PAHO, in Washington, indicated that the plan reflects the decision of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), to revive the systematic vaccination campaigns which "were lagging behind compared to other countries in the Americas, before even the earthquake of January 2010."

More than 2,000 children under 5 years die every year in Haiti of rotavirus [leading cause of severe acute diarrhea among young children] and thousands more die of diseases preventable by vaccination.

mong the plan's objectives: increasing the vaccination of 60 to 90% among the children under one year and keep the country free of polio, measles and rubella. Other objectives are: elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus by 2015 and the introduction of new vaccines against rotavirus and pneumococcus, and the use of polyvalent vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, the Hib (aemophilus influenzae type b) and hepatitis B.

Ariel Henry, Chief of Staff of the Haitian Ministry of Public Health, said that the plan's objectives are ambitious because the people of Haiti deserve better coverage and has warmly thanked the international partners for their support of this plan.

Ciro de Quadros, Executive Vice President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute which has collaborated with Haiti for 34 years said that "this plan is one of the most remarkable I've seen in terms of technical cooperation and partnership to support the country."

HL/ HaitiLibre