Rotavirus-related diseases account for over 10% of under-five deaths.
Nigeria has recently introduced the rotavirus vaccine, which enables protection against rotavirus-related diarrhea disease, into its routine immunization program. Partnering with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, and UNICEF, Nigeria intends to reach out to 7 million children across all 36 states in the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) within the next 12 months. Diseases related to the rotavirus are major causes of chronic diarrhea in children across the world and are recorded to be the third leading cause of child mortality in Nigeria, with an account of over 10% of under-five deaths.
Rotavirus is a contagious virus that causes diarrhea and many other intestinal symptoms and is mostly prevalent in infants and young children. It is often spread through a fecal-oral route, due to improper and irregular washing of hands; the eating or drinking of contaminated food or water could also lead to an emergence of the virus. The virus causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines, which leads to severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, stomach pain and dehydration.
Vaccination will reduce infection in unimmunized populations.
After the launch of the vaccine, it will firstly be made available in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory, especially in areas with lower vaccination coverage, before it begins effect in the remaining 17 states. The administration of the rotavirus will be made orally to infants at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age. The launch of the rotavirus vaccine is a landmark towards the protection of many Nigerian children against diseases that are preventable through vaccines.
Vaccination would be accompanied by other primary health care services and diarrhea prevention strategies such as hand washing and sanitizing, exclusive breastfeeding, and provision of clean water and sanitation facilities. The administering of the vaccine to young children will bring about a reduction in the rates of rotavirus infection amidst unimmunized and elderly populations. It would also prevent the use of ineffective antibiotics usually prescribed as treatment against rotavirus infections, thereby disallowing the rise of antibiotic resistance.
Gavi assured Nigeria of its support with the vaccine.
Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance is a public-private global health partnership which aims at increasing accessibility to immunization in poor countries. Globally, Gavi has aided the immunization of more than 760 million children, preventing about 13 million deaths. The alliance has been able to facilitate vaccinations in developing countries through its work with donor governments, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in industrialized and developing countries, civil society, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other private philanthropic organizations.
The Managing Director of Country Programs for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Thabani Maphosa, commended the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria and assured the country of the willingness of the vaccine alliance to work with all partners to contribute to the achievement of the program, as it aims at being a lifesaver to children. Partners have devised a plan to introduce several service delivery strategies, which includes daily vaccination in selected sites and mobile sessions that help to connect to hard-to-reach rural communities, to reach many children speedily.
According to WUENIC, Nigeria maintained child immunization gains in 2021.
In recent years, with collaborative efforts of The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and partners towards the strengthening of health systems, the country has gradually increased COVID-19 vaccine coverage and committed to the maintenance of routine immunization as part of its Optimized SCALES 2.0 strategy. According to WHO/UNICEF most recent estimation of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), Nigeria has been highlighted as one of the few countries that pursued the maintenance of gains in routine childhood immunization in 2021, even while the pandemic negatively affected essential health services around the world.
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The availability of the vaccine is what is essential. Since it’s available, the government and health agencies involved should endeavor it’s accessible by as many as possible.
wow this is a welcome development for rotavirus administration on infants in order to prevent them from dying under age of 5,all these vaccination should be taken to the health care centres because they are the closest to the people.
This is nice development it will help infant and prevent them from lose life’s and the availability of the vaccine is important it as to reach them infant by taking it to the all health center
By administer rotavirus vaccine to children will really curb lots of sickness in children in Nigeria and this will have good effect on the health sector.
Good development, it will reduce the death of infant. More awareness should be created to the public about the virus. And we should know how to fight rotavirus
It is really encouraging that Nigeria has just recently included the rotavirus vaccine in its routine immunisation programme. This vaccine affords individuals protection against diarrheal diseases that are caused by rotaviruses.
The availability of the vaccine to the masses is what is very important.
The vaccines is surrounded with positive things…. nice!…It should be taken to the people by continuous awareness, it should be taken to the health care centres.
government and health agencies involved should make sure it’s accessible by as many as possible.
This is a great act of strengthening the healthcare systems of the country. We also need to keep our children away from improper washing of their hands.
In children all throughout the world, rotavirus infections are one of the most common causes of persistent diarrhoea, and in Nigeria, they are the third largest cause of child mortality.
Administering Rotavirus vaccine through the partnership of Gavi with Nigeria to children is a great achievement for Nigerians. This will reduce child mortality rate, improving health care, protection against related diseases and sustain good health in children. This is a great.
It has been brought to people’s attention that Nigeria is one of the few countries that pursued the maintenance of gains in routine children immunisation in 2021, even though the pandemic had a detrimental impact on key health services all over the world.
The rotavirus is a contagious virus that can cause diarrhoea as well as a wide variety of other intestinal symptoms. Since the rotavirus is most common in newborns and young children, the government should work as quickly as possible to identify strategies to avoid it.
Because this virus is frequently transmitted by a fecal-oral channel, as a result of incorrect and irregular hand washing, as well as the eating or drinking of contaminated food, we need to steer clear of situations in which we could be exposed to it.
In addition to vaccination, other primary health care treatments and diarrhoea prevention techniques, such as frequent hand washing and the use of antibacterial soap, should be provided.
The advent of the rotavirus vaccine is actually a good thing. It shows our medical sector is actually at its peak. Let’s do enough to ensure that many of the citizens get the vaccine to help them combat diarrhea.
Because the virus causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines, which leads to severe diarrhoea and stomach discomfort as well as dehydration, we need to take every precaution possible to avoid contracting this virus.
The introduction of a vaccine against rotavirus is a significant step forward in protecting a large number of children in Nigeria from infectious diseases that can be avoided with vaccination.
If the vaccine is given to infants and toddlers, it will bring about a drop in the rates of rotavirus infection among the population that has not been inoculated and among the elderly.
In order to quickly reach a large number of children, the government and its partners should initiate daily vaccinations in certain locations, as well as mobile sessions that help connect to rural regions that are difficult to access.
Working towards the building of health systems, the country should gradually boost COVID-19 vaccine coverage while remaining dedicated to the preservation of routine immunisation as part of its Optimized SCALES 2.0 strategy.