More than 23,000 Cuban children have so far been vaccinated against pneumococcus using the drug Pneumosil 10-valent, which protects against the 10 most circulating serotypes of the pathogenic microorganism, it was announced today.

The general director of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap), Gretza Sanchez, told the press that 21,92 children born between January 1 and June 30 this year have been immunised through the national pneumococcal vaccination campaign, according to Granma newspaper.

The specialist added that 1,995 infants, born in July and aged two months, have already received the first dose of the vaccine.

She stressed that, nine days after the immunogen was administered, the campaign has been successfully carried out in the country’s 670 vaccination centres, certified by the Minsap’s National Immunisation Programme.

He insisted that Pneumosil 10 valente protects infants against the 10 most widely circulating pneumococcal serotypes, which can cause serious illnesses such as acute meningitis, pneumonia or sepsis (infection in the blood).

This first stage of vaccination will end on 30 September, followed by another dose at four months and a booster dose at 11 months, with the support of the Global Vaccine Alliance and the Pan American Health Organization.

As for the Cuban anti-pneumococcal vaccine Quimi-Vio, developed by the Finlay Vaccine Institute and produced by the National Biopreparations Centre, the official said that it should begin to be applied to two-year-old children in the coming months.

According to the director of the National Immunisation Programme, Lena López, with the incorporation of Pneumosil 10 valente Cuba joins the list of 35 countries in the Americas with anti-pneumococcal vaccines in their immunisation schedules.