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Vaccination Campaign against A (H1N1) Virus Starts Today in Cuba

CUBA, April 1, 2010. - A National Vaccination Campaign against the pandemic A (H1N1) influenza virus starts today in Cuba during which 1.124 million vulnerable people will be immunized.

Dr. Cristina Luna, national director of the Primary Health Care Program, announced that 498 sanitary areas, including those in remote sites of the island, already have the materials and staff needed to guarantee that the campaign is carried out as scheduled.

In the first stage of the program due to be completed on April 20, some 80,000 registered pregnant women and those within the term of up to 42 days after labor will be immunized, said Dr. Luis Estruch, Deputy Public Health Minister in charge of Epidemiology.

The Pandemrix vaccine (injectable) was donated by the World Health Organization, which allocated 10 million dollars for this purpose. The UN’s body has also contributed medicines, reagents and other products to contain the pandemics, Estruch assured.

The Health official noted that before the WHO’s action, the disease was treated in Cuba without the use of a specific vaccine. However, since the virus entered the country, around 1,000 cases were confirmed in labs and very few deaths from the virus have been reported.

Such a positive outcome has been the result of a well-organized and internationally renowned national health system which has primarily focused on developing prevention strategies and efficient therapeutic methods with the support of organizations and institutions.

At present, there are 16 respiratory infection outbreaks, the virus is still in the country and so is the threat it represents, the Deputy Minister stressed while urging to continue implementing preventive and hygienic measures to eliminate the pandemic that has taken a toll on more than 17,000 people worldwide.

Estruch recalled that people who received a shot against seasonal influenza by the end of 2009, are not protected against the A (H1N1) virus. (Cubaminrex - acn)

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