Wednesday, 17 February 2010

SWINE FLU VACCINE 'COULD BE DELAYED' IN CAMBODIA

via CAAI News Media

Cambodia is still waiting to receive 300,000 swine flu vaccines promised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to the Phnom Penh Post, the vaccines were supposed to arrive in the south-east Asian country before the end of 2009 but were delayed.

It was then hoped that they would be dispatched at the beginning of February following the distribution of syringes and safety boxes.

The WHO plans to immunise every Cambodian, although the delay in supply means only priority groups defined as those who are most vulnerable to the virus - health workers, pregnant women and children - are currently being given the H1N1 vaccine.

Speaking on 14 February 2010, Dr Nima Asgari, WHO's Cambodian health specialist, said that there was no exact date for when the vaccine would be received.

Three more cases of swine flu were confirmed in Cambodia in the last week, bringing the total number of cases to 560 across the country. Six Cambodians have died from the virus since the start of the outbreak.

The WHO is aiming to distribute around 200 million donated H1N1 vaccines to 95 countries across the world.

Written by Clare Devlin

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