Shortage of Vaccine Worries Activists. 25/9/10

Nnew born babies in need of the inoculation are being discharged without getting the vaccine.

Health and human rights activists are worried that a shortage in Manicaland of tuberculosis vaccine, Bacillus Calmette-Gerin (BCG) given to babies soon after birth could seriously compromise the health of new born babies. Standardhealth understands that the shortages started three weeks ago.

As a result, new born babies in need of the inoculation are being discharged without getting the vaccine.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) says it made investigations after it got wind that there were shortages of the BCG vaccine and discovered that most health centres in the province were affected.

Zimrights says the shortages have also seen the army chipping with its own resources, which were however not enough.

"It is surprising to note that such health hazards can go for weeks without attention and that health officials do not see the importance of children's rights to health," ZimRights said in a statement.

"This disregard can be attributed to the lack of socio-economic rights in the constitution."

"As the nation goes out for constitution public consultations, ZimRights calls for people to speak out and make sure they make submissions to the effect that right to health be included in the constitution as a legal right."

Contacted for comment head of epidemiological and disease control, Portia Manangazira said she was also not aware of a vaccine shortage but would investigate.

However, Manangazira said she was aware that most health institutions in the province often experienced power cuts making it difficult to store vaccines in one place for a long time.

"I think it's important to establish at what level the shortage of BCG is," she said.

"If it's at a district level then it's probably because those mothers failed to have their children vaccinated at a time when there was a power cut and vaccines had been moved to a hospital that has cold chain facility to keep the vaccines from going bad."

Manangazira called on the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) to spare health institutions from power cuts so that health service delivery was not affected.

"We are in constant negotiations with Zesa on this and we strongly urge them not to load-shed health institutions. However, if this is not possible it would be a good idea to invest in a cold chain system around the country," she said