So I thought I should learn something about what vaccines are given to Kenyan children and what illnesses are often encountered (since I will be expected to recognize and treat!). One of the Peds Infectious Disease faculty recommended the WHO website as a good reference.
According to the WHO website, Kenyan children receive the following vaccines at the following ages:
BCG (TB): birth
Diptheria: 6, 10, 14 weeks
Tetanus: 6, 10, 14 weeks
Pertussis (whole cell): 6, 10, 14 weeks
Hemophilus influenza type B: 6, 10, 14 weeks
Hepatitis B: 6, 10, 14 weeks
Measles: 9 months
Oral Polio: birth, 6, 10, 14 weeks
Yellow Fever: 9 months (only if in certain part of country)
There are obviously some important vaccines missing!! These children do not get conjugate pneumococcal vaccine, 2nd measles vaccine, varicella vaccine, mumps vaccine, rubella vaccine, hepatitia A vaccine, or rotavirus vaccine. According to the WHO website, in 2009, there were over 1200 cases of measles, 1300 cases of rubella, 19 cases of polio, and 9 cases of neonatal tetanus. http://apps.who.int/immunization_monitoring/en/globalsummary/countryprofileresult.cfm?C='ken'
Is it wrong to say that I'm actually kind of excited to see some classic cases of these classic pediatric diseases? Things that my medical school professors always used to say 'Back when I was training, we saw...'. But on the other hand, why are the Kenyan children subjected to such misery when all it takes is a vaccine to prevent these illnesses? Thankfully, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization is taking a stand against inequality in the availability of childhood vaccines. They provide Kenya (and other developing nations) affordable access to vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib, hepatitis B and yellow fever (to the part of the country at risk). And, as I learned in preparing my senior talk, GAVI will introduce the conjugated pneumococcal vaccine in Kenya on February 14th. What a great Valentine's Day present for these kids! http://www.gavialliance.org/
