Pneumococcal vaccines will drastically reduce deaths from pneumonia

The Governments of Central African Republic, Benin and Cameroon will introduce vaccines in the coming weeks to combat pneumonia, one of the biggest killers of children worldwide.Funded by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), these life-saving vaccines prevent pneumococcal disease, the leading cause of pneumonia, which is the major cause of death among children aged below five years. Pneumococcal disease is also responsible for meningitis, which can leave survivors with permanent disabilities, including mental retardation and seizures. The Governments of Central African Republic and Cameroon will begin introducing the vaccine this week and Benin will begin roll-out in July. “The introduction of this vaccine represents a major milestone for our young generation. This new vaccine gives them hope today that they will grow up healthy and lead a productive future,” said Dr. Jean Michel Mandaba, Minister of Health of Central African Republic. GAVI, which brings together governments, UNICEF, the World...