The star Online
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Berlin - Rich nations have pledged $200-million (about R1,5-billion) to fight diseases in poor countries.
A commitment was made yesterday to slash the time it takes to get new vaccines to needy children and save more than a million lives a year.
The plan aims to supply developing nations with newly licensed vaccines for rotavirus and pneumococcus, which the World Health Organisation says are the biggest preventable causes of death among children in poor countries.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations (Gavi) said the cash would allow various countries around the world to receive the vaccines more quickly.
Until now it has taken between 15 and 20 years for vaccines to make it from the rich countries which develop them to the countries most in need.
"Our goal now is to move quickly to save the lives of as many children as possible with the vaccines we have in hand," said Gavi executive secretary Julian Lob-Levyt.
The two rotavirus vaccines are made by British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline and US pharmaceutical firm Merck. The pneumococcal vaccine Prevenar is made by Wyeth.
The pneumococcal vaccine is destined for 10 countries in Africa and South Asia over the next few years.
Gavi said it would increase its operations as new vaccines came on the market and support grew for introducing them in other parts of the world.
A fourth vaccine, a pneumococcal vaccine produced by GlaxoSmithKline, is expected to be available later. - Reuters