Health
Worldwide progress for Hib vaccine
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 3, 2008
A report released Feb. 14 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that progress is being made in the use of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine in low-income countries. From 2004 to 2007, the proportion of the poorest countries using or approved to use this preventive increased from 18% to 65%.
Hib disease is estimated to cause 3 million cases of meningitis or severe pneumonia and about 386,000 deaths per year in children age 5 and younger.
In 2000, the GAVI Alliance initiated a project providing support for purchasing and providing Hib vaccine in 72 of the world's lowest-income countries.
"Thanks to a focused, collaborative effort, each year a greater number of children are getting vaccinated," said Anne Schuchat, MD, director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
The report also is being released by the World Health Organization.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/03/03/hlbf0303.htm.
