There has been recent introduction of a Pakistani Developed Vaccine for a drug resistant Typhoid strain that has spread in Sindh for now.
There are MANY misconceptions floating around on the internet.
I will try to address most of the commonly asked questions in light of answers/ information from two well accomplished paediatricians from Karachi.
Dr. Talaiha Chughtai & Dr. Anokhi
Q: It’s Pakistani. How can we trust its quality?
A: We need to start believing in the fantastic value our academia and technical professionals hold. They have developed a vaccine for a drug resistant strain of typhoid and it is commendable. It is however, approved and verified by WHO and UNICEF. So if you’re looking for guarantees from governing bodies (which you should as a parent. I know, I would too) yes it’s there.
Q: Why is it being administered only in Pakistan? Are they testing it on our children?
A: There are three countries where Typhoid exists. India. Bangladesh and Pakistan. The fact stands that wherever the disease will exist, that’s where a mass vaccination campaign will be needed. WHO approved this drug AFTER necessary testing. It isn’t straight from a lab to our children’s mouth
Q: Why isn’t the government preventing outbreak of typhoid by other means? Why this vaccination drive?
A: Other means would mean cleaning up the entire country of all the puddles, sanitation issues being resolved and cleanliness ensured. Typhoid spreads from faeces and so it is borne by house flies. Expecting a government, any government to eliminate all of that as opposed to vaccinating population is far more improbable a preventive measure.
Q: Why are adults not being vaccinated? Why only kids?
A: basically because we don’t have money. The government is only running the drive for the most vulnerable group for now. However you can go to your nearest hospital and request the vaccine for adults.
It is available in Sindh for now. 2020 rollout is due for Punjab and in 2021 Nationwide availability will be ensured.
Q: The recent case of several children becoming ill at an Orangi town school after administration of the XDR Typhoid Vaccine, shows that there is something wrong with the vaccine.
A: if there was something wrong with the vaccine itself there is usually a multitude of cases reported form multiple venues of vaccination. Not restricted to one venue.
The restriction of specific cases to one venue indicates there was a circumstantial issue there. It could’ve been that the children got stressed and fainted. It is an often observed phenomenon in vaccination drives such where other children get stressed by seeing one child faint or freak out and it starts a chain reaction such. All this of course is hypothetical until the actual causes are found.
There is however no doubt in the fact that it was circumstantial and had nothing to do with the vaccine itself.
Q: What age groups should be vaccinated?
A: 9 months to 15 years of age.
Q: My child was already vaccinated against Typhoid. Does she need this vaccine? If yes, why?
A: Yes. This is XDR Conjugate Vaccine which some for a specific strain of drug resistant Typhoid. The earlier vaccine was Polysaccharide and not applicable to this new strain that has appeared.
Q: How many booster shots will this new vaccine need? What is the course like and how long?
A: It is one conjugate vaccine and only needs to be administered once.
In case you have any further questions please feel free to share them under this post and I’ll be happy to share with the doctors and get back with a response.
Thank you Super Creative Mamas for the informative session you held.
