Vaccines to reduce infant deaths
2008-07-09 13:32
Pretoria - Two vaccines to reduce and
prevent the main causes of death among infants will be made available in
South Africa for the first time, state news agency BuaNews reported on Wednesday.
A vaccine to prevent viral pneumonia in children and another to prevent
viral diarrhoea is to be launched by the Department of Health.
This is according to Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang who was
briefing reporters on the Social Cluster's progress towards implementing
Government's Programme of Action on Tuesday.
These additions to the department's immunisation programme are part of
government's strategy to combat infant mortality and realise the
Millennium Development Goals.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) lists pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria,
measles and HIV as the five main causes of death among children aged
between one month and five years.
More than half of child deaths
These five diseases contribute to more than half of all child deaths.
Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension,
however, also continue to place a burden on the country's health care
system, the minister said.
Meanwhile, the framework for long term care for non-communicable
diseases has been sent to provincial health departments for comments and
the department is following up with its provincial counterparts to
finalise this consultation process.
Turning to other issues, the minister said the cluster had reported
earlier this year that it would build on the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign
to encourage healthy living and decrease risky behaviour including
smoking.
As such, the Tobacco Control Amendment Bill was passed two weeks ago in
the National Assembly. It has now been passed to the National Council of
Provinces for concurrence.
"Through this Bill, we seek to further control the advertising,
promotion and sale of tobacco products in the country in line with our
healthy lifestyles campaign and the Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control."
The amended Bill will strengthen sections which prohibit advertising,
promotion and sponsorship, and the regulation of smoking in public
places.
Health-promoting schools
It will also see the introduction of picture-based health warnings on
cigarette packets as well as the removal of misleading descriptions such
as "mild" and "light" which carries a hefty fine.
In further efforts to encourage healthier living in South Africa, the
department is to increase the number of health-promoting schools from
500 to at least 5 000.
The cluster, which is made up of the Department's of Health, Social
Development, Home Affairs, Transport, Education and Housing, also noted
the number of adults who are voluntarily taking HIV tests.
Tshabalala-Msimang said this was in line with government's plans to
increase such figures from 25% to 35%.
"We are also encouraged by the data as at 2 June 2008, which indicates
that the number of clients tested for HIV [excluding antenatal] is 1 474
437 and the number of lay counsellors receiving a stipend is standing at
6 815."
Tuberculosis
On Tuberculosis (TB) the minister said there was a decrease in both the
infection and defaulter rate.
She also informed the media about the breakthrough new rapid diagnostic
test for Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB) that is being rolled out by
the department.
"We will now be able to diagnose drug resistant TB in seven days
compared to several weeks or months using our current method," Tshabalala-Msimang said.
The test is already available in four provinces and will be rolled out
to the rest of the country over the coming months.