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http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/SNAA-7XV76D?OpenDocument
WHO to give free H1N1 vaccines to the Pacific
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Date: 17 Nov 2009
Kate McPherson
The World Health Organisation office in Fiji has confirmed it will begin distributing
free swine flu vaccines next month.
The office says it's currently waiting on the H1N1 flu vaccines to arrive from donor
countries, and will then begin shipping them around the region.
It is hoped that there will be enough of the vaccine to be provided free of charge to
about ten percent of Pacific Islanders.
However, the World Health Organisation's Representative to the South Pacific,
Doctor Ken Chen, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program, that they will not
know the exact number of vaccines available until next month.
"There are a lot of logistical issues in dealing with receiving the vaccines from
donors," he said.
"They're distributed to all the countries. As I understand it, Pacific Islands are among
the list of the first shipments so we hope we will get the vaccine...in December this
year."
Priorities
Mr Chen says those on high on the WHO's priority list will be the first to receive the
vaccine.
"We'll work with each country to prepare the priority list, and it is strongly
recommended that the health workers should receive the vaccine."
"Of course then the other group, including the pregnant women and kids and those
who have a chronic condition," he said.
While there have been no new cases of swine flu in the Pacific, Mr Chen says WHO
will continue to monitor the situation.
"In Fiji recently we don't have any new cases and we also don't have any new cases in
other Pacific Island countries," he said.
