Oman first country in region to receive H1N1 vaccines

Muscat: The health authorities’ campaign to protect Oman against the H1N1 pandemic influenza received a shot in the arm when the country became the first in the region to receive 100,000 vaccines, well in time to immunise pilgrims waiting to go on Haj.

The 100,000 doses of Novartis’ Focetria vaccine is part of an initial batch of H1N1 vaccines committed by Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

“Haj is time bound therefore the pilgrims would be immunise first,” Dr Shyam Bawikar, Advisor Epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health (MoH) told Gulf News after a press conference held to brief media about the MoH immunisation plans.

The MoH had initially stated that the frontline health workers would be first immunise and then elders, children and pregnant women. However, it is mandatory for the pilgrims to take vaccines before they go for Haj, hence the ministry will first give vaccines to Haj pilgrims.

“Everyone (pilgrims) nationals as well as expatriates would be immunised at the same time,” he said. The specialist added that with the number of pilgrims cut down almost to half compared to last year, around 10,000 faithful from Oman, expected to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, will be immunised first.

Dr Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Saidi, Undersecretary for Health Affairs, said that the MoH and affiliate units employ about 25,000 health workers but the ministry plans to immunise initially only the frontline health workers, starting from doctors, nurses, medical orderlies and immunisation staff and so on.

“We will include private sector as well as health workers of police and armed forces hospitals also,” said Dr Ali Jaffer Mohammad, Health Affairs Advisor at the Ministry and expert on vaccinations.

He reckons that around 14 to 15 thousands frontline health workers would be covered for initial immunisation against the Swine Flu.

Dr Al Saadi pointed out that one dose per person would be given as the MoH expects to receive 2.4 million dosages by the end of the first quarter of next year. A decision to limit the dosage to one dose of 0.5ml of the vaccine was taken by the National Influenza (H1N1) Pandemic Advisory Committee.

Dr Jihane F. Tawilah, WHO Representative in Oman, who also attended the media briefing stressed that the vaccines were most effective against H1N1 pandemic flu. She urged people in Oman not to heed to rumours, SMSs and email doing rounds in the country against the H1N1 vaccines.

“Oman’s record in health sector is impeccable and they would not do something that is harmful, so I urge everyone to cooperate and get immunised against this new pandemic virus,” he appealed.

The first vaccines would be given at a formal ceremony