Free stock of A/H1N1 vaccine due

by Manjula FERNANDO

Sri Lanka is expected to receive a free stock of Influenza A/H1N1 vaccine from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the coming weeks, Consultant Epidemiologist Dr. Risintha Premaratne of the Epidemiological Unit of the Health Ministry said yesterday.

A leading multinational drug company manufacturing the flu vaccine donated 50 million phials to the WHO last week to be distributed among the developing countries to fight the menace and help check the global epidemic which has killed nearly 5,000 the world over since its detection early this year. Sri Lanka which has also seen the outbreak in at least six districts, Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Galle, Matara and Ratnapura up to now, is listed to receive the free vaccines.

"We could start vaccinations as soon as it is made available to us by the WHO," Dr. Premaratne said.

There is a severe shortage of the vaccine due to the huge global demand following the H1N1 outbreak and the flu vaccines are among the world's most expensive drugs.

There were nearly 220 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Sri Lanka since June this year and three deaths were reported two young boys and a 28-week pregnant mother and her unborn baby.

Being the only accredited place to carry out the sophisticated and technically demanding laboratory diagnosis of the H1N1 virus the MRI has been inundated by samples to test for the pandemic virus from all over the island, Deputy Director of the MRI Dr. P.M. Ratnayake said.

The drug company is reported to be working with the WHO to send the shipments by the end of this month.

The WHO said the influenza vaccines which help to boost immunity, is an effective way to protect a person from contracting the illness during epidemics and pandemics.

According to the Centre for Community Disease Control of the US the flu vaccine is safe on almost everyone including pregnant women.