Diarrhoea Vaccine

[Lycanthrope]

The government is to introduce vaccination to treat diarrhoea in the Eastern Cape areas where children have died from suspected water contamination.

Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang revealed this at the official opening of a clinic at Alice in the Eastern Cape. Tshabalala-Msimang says vaccination for diarrhoea is not done in any other country because it is expensive.

“I do intend to introduce a vaccine for pneumonia and diarrhea, but these are very expensive vaccines. We cannot afford to lose babies; there are also flaws from our sides where in certain instances we did not pay on time.”

Tshabalala-Msimang announcement follows the death of scores of children at Ukhahlamba district and Port Alfred in the province, after allegedly drinking contaminated water.

Found this article at SABC News.

A diarrhoea vaccine? Such a thing exists? And... is healthy? I mean - no side-effects?

 

[PeterCH]

Found this article at SABC News.

A diarrhoea vaccine? Such a thing exists? And... is healthy? I mean - no side-effects?

When they say diarrhoea vaccine they use a very general term. What they should say is "cholera vaccine" or Hepatitis A vaccine or Rotavirus vaccine etc, instead. It depends on which organism (virus, bacteria or parasite) is
responsible for the diarrhoea (gastro-enteritis). You won't find one vaccine which will protect from all forms of infectious diarrhoea.

Here is the link to the Rotavirus vaccine:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotavirus#Prevention

This may be the vaccine they want to buy for prevention of diarrhoea in babies. Diarrhoea in babies kills them usually from severe dehydration.
If one can hydrate the baby via alternative means (IV), the disease is
self limiting and the child recovers spontanously.

You can read more here:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/sad0406Glas7p.pdf

 

[imaginary_friend]

yeah, PeterCH is on the mark. although, even if the guys are trying to simplify the term in the media so the layman can understand; i still think saying "diarrhea vaccine" is pretty....ig'nant but hey, our shining health minister is rather ig'nant herself!! lol

 

[Lycanthrope]

Ah, thank you, PeterCH.

From the Wikipedia link you gave I understand that there are two possible vaccinations against the Rotavirus A strain - which it seems is the most prevalent.

According to CDC.gov:

Mild problems

Children are slightly (1 to 3 percent) more likely to have mild, temporary diarrhea or vomiting within 7 days after getting a dose of rotavirus vaccine than children who have not gotten the vaccine.

I guess that's to be expected, but it's a definite improvement.

I wonder though, is this just Msimang saving face? Guess something is better than nothing.

Thanks again

 

[bwana]

My kids had a Rotavirus vaccine and it wasnt cheap. Good to see it will be made more readily available.

 

[Pilgrim]

You have to love african logic knee-jerk reactions.

Problem:
Babies die from diarrhea.

Solution:
Diarrhoea vaccine

ROFLMAO. Don't get me wrong, I love that they try. But really!

How about the bigger picture? FIX THE WATER SUPPLY YOU MORONS!!!

 

[Syndyre]

You have to love african logic knee-jerk reactions.

Problem:
Babies die from diarrhea.

Solution:
Diarrhoea vaccine

ROFLMAO. Don't get me wrong, I love that they try. But really!

How about the bigger picture? FIX THE WATER SUPPLY YOU MORONS!!!

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Nonsense - that's solves too many long-term problems.

 

[PeterCH]

Vaccination is a great step at prevention. After all the Polio vaccine virtually eliminated Polio from developed nations while the Smallpox vaccine eradicated Smallpox completely.

 

[BandwidthAddict]

Pilgrim FTW!!!

1. Problem created by idiots in government and at large. These idiots have had thousands of years of evolution to get their idiocy to genius levels.
2. A very expensive solution exists for a problem that is only a symptom of the original problem.
3. Organize huge kickbacks etc for deploying expensive solution without fixing underlying problem
4. Profit

I'm not sure who is the dumber of the lot: these idiots who are useless, lazy and have no chance of success in this modern day and age, OR, the other idiots that let them have the vote and should have known better?