By Noimot Olayiwola
Primary healthcare centres are yet to receive the H1N1 vaccines despite the announcement of the jabs being available to the general public.
Since the H1N1 pandemic broke out in other parts of the world in June this year, Qatar has been making efforts to contain the spread of the virus by putting in place prevention measures and stockpiling anti-viral drugs.
The Supreme Council of Health has already received two tranches of H1N1 vaccines, totalling 320,000 doses to begin vaccinating its population against the virus.
A senior official at the Supreme Council of Health recently said that the vaccine was now available to residents at the Abu Hamour Vaccination Centre and all primary healthcare centres (PHCs)
But a visit by this reporter to some of the centres yesterday revealed that apart from the vaccination centre, all PHCs were yet to receive the H1N1 vaccine.
Inquiries at the vaccination centre found that people were still very apprehensive to receive the shots.
However, the SCH said that the World Health Organisation has estimated that around 80mn doses of the pandemic influenza H1N1 vaccine have been distributed and up to 65mn people have been vaccinated against the virus.
Qatar has joined the national immunisation campaign by first vaccinating pilgrims, healthcare workers, and most vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, children, people suffering from chronic disease and the elderly.
Quoting the WHO, the SCH said vaccination campaigns currently underway to protect populations from pandemic influenza were among the largest in the history of several countries, and the numbers were growing daily.
“Common side-effects outlined by the WHO include swelling, redness, or pain at the injection site, which usually resolves spontaneously a short time after vaccination,” SCH stated.
According to the WHO, fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches, occurring shortly after vaccine administration, have also been reported, though with less frequency.
Another major concern for some people is a condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome, which the WHO said has been suspected in fewer than 10 cases after receiving the vaccines.
Guillain-Barre syndrome is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system causing a paralysis.
“These numbers are in line with normal background rates of this illness, as reported in a recent study. Nonetheless, all such cases are being investigated to determine whether these are randomly occurring events or if they might be associated with vaccination,” WHO said.
However, SCH said the WHO has received no reports of fatal outcomes among suspected or confirmed cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome detected since vaccination campaigns began.
Also, on investigations of deaths, the SCH said a small number of deaths have occurred in people who have been vaccinated.
“All such deaths, reported to WHO, have been promptly investigated. Although some investigations are ongoing, results of completed investigations have ruled out a direct link to pandemic vaccine as the cause of death,” the council said, citing incidences in China, where more than 11mn doses of vaccine have been administered with 15 cases suffering severe side-effects and two deaths following vaccination.
“Thorough investigation of these deaths, including a review of autopsy results, determined that underlying medical conditions were the cause of death, and not the vaccine,” the WHO was quoted by
the SCH.