Ravindra Nath
26 October 2009
MUSCAT — A state-run clinic in the Muscat governorate was the launchpad on Sunday for the region’s first countrywide immunisation campaign against H1N1.
The very first person to receive the single-dose injection at the Al Hail Health Centre was Dr Ahmed Al Saidi, Ministry of Health undersecretary. The next two people were Dr Jihane F Tawila, the WHO Representative in Oman, and Dr Mohammed Ali Jaffar, Adviser at the ministry. Later, groups of Haj pilgrims and medical staff were given the vaccine.
The government plans to innoculate all healthy people against the virus
in phases. Twenty-four people have died of the infection and 2,400
others have been infected with the virus in the sultanate.
Health Ministry officials clarified that people who had contracted the disease, confirmed by lab tests and were
given medicine, need not take the
injection. They also said that while the vaccine was not compulsory, “we are hopeful that everyone will get it for their own good and in the larger interests of the society”.
Haj pilgrims and frontline medical staff, people working in essential services, pregnant women, and patients with chronic diseases, children and adults will be given the vaccine in that order in phases.
Al Saidi said here at a press conference on Saturday that the target groups were selected on the basis of their vulnerability to the disease and to ensure “continuity in provision of essential and vital” health services.
The vaccine generally takes effect within eight to 10 days, but it may take up to two weeks in some cases.
Al Saidi, Tawila and Jaffar also answered questions about how safe was the newly-developed vaccine. The questions from mediapersons were, on the other hand, prompted by a wave of messages via mobile phones and warning people about the dangerous side-effects of the vaccine.
“Ignore the rumours… These vaccines are manufactured by international companies with proven record and are produced according to the different environmental conditions in various regions,” Al Saidi said, adding, “We don’t base our decisions and statements on rumours, but on the best interests of the community and the public.”
He said the vaccine had been
used safely in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China and Europe. It was found to be very effective against the
virus; all the data and evidence indicated this, he added.
“In Oman, we accept only medicines or vaccines that are already tested and registered in their countries of origin… We have also set up a 24-hour hotline to clear any doubts that the public may have about the vaccine,” said Al Saidi, urging the media “to play its role in countering these baseless rumours”.
When pointed out that many parents had expressed reservations about vaccinating their children, Jaffar, the ministry advisor, said the vaccine was safe for children. “This is not the first time that we are vaccinating children… We don’t expect any harmful effects.”
“Rumours are spreading faster than epidemics,” observed Tawila, pointing out that hundreds of thousands of people in more than 15 countries had been vaccinated against H1N1 since September.
“Until now, WHO has not recorded a single case of any major complication… These vaccines are not different from the previous ones. They are produced the same way and by the same companies. We are not expecting any additional complications,” she added.
“There is no way,” Tawila stressed, “that policymakers in any country, especially Oman, will take a decision that is not safe for the entire population.” The ministry has set up a 24-hour hotline to clear the public’s doubts about the vaccine.
Last week, the Sultanate became the first country in the region to procure the anti-H1N1 vaccine with the arrival here of the first consignment of 100,000 doses of Novartis’ ‘Focetria’ vaccine.
The government has signed contracts with Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline to purchase a total of 2.6 million doses of the vaccine, bracing itself for a second wave of the infection during this winter as predicted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
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