Kyrgyzstan to start vaccinating children against pneumococcal infections

Kyrgyzstan will start vaccinating children against pneumococcal infections from March 22, 2016. Director of the Republican Immunization Center Zholdosh Kalilov informed.

According to him, the vaccine (made in France) has already been delivered in all regions of the republic. It is included in the National Vaccination Schedule of the Kyrgyz Republic. Vaccination is free. "Vaccination is carried out between 2.5 and 12 months, because the children of the first year are more at risk of diseases. This vaccination is carried out in 90 countries. It is safe, meets all international standards of quality and is well tolerated. Serious adverse reactions, associated with the vaccine, develop extremely rare. Vaccinations are the only way to protect children from infectious diseases," the Ministry of Health Care reported.

"According to WHO estimates, more than 500,000 children worldwide under the age of 5 annually die from pneumococcal diseases and the children under two years are at highest risk. Mortality from pneumococcal pneumonia can reach 20 percent, from meningitis - 50 percent," the ministry noted.

 Note of 24.kg news agency. Pneumococcal infection is a group of diseases caused by bacteria (heavy - pneumonia, meningitis, lighter - middle ear infection (otitis), sinusitis and bronchitis). Pneumococcus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory secretions from infected persons and healthy carriers of pneumococcus.