Kids to get free Hib shots

Newborn babies will be offered free vaccines against Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) in the next fiscal year as part of attempts to improve the country’s immunisation programme.

Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya, who chairs the national vaccine board, said the board has approved a proposal to administer vaccines against five diseases including Hib to infants.

This vaccine, known as DTwP-HBHib, is expected to be made available soon after the 2019 fiscal year kicks in. Infants will be given three doses — at two months, four months and six months old.

The vaccine protects against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, hepatitis B, and Hib, which can cause bacterial meningitis. There are about 700,000 babies born each year in Thailand.

He said the vaccine against Hib is being introduced due to the high number of deaths caused by bacterial meningitis in children under five. About 500 children under five are infected annually with a fatality rate of 10%.

The deputy prime minister gave assurances that the new vaccine programme is safe and effective and is unlikely to raise costs.

Gen Chatchai said the National Health Security Office will be asked to include the DTwP-HB-Hib vaccine in the national drug list and allocate budget to secure stock.

He said several countries have adopted the DTwP-HB-Hib vaccine programme and found it to be safe and effective.

He said the board has also discussed the progress of a project to set up a vaccine production unit so Thailand can manufacture its own vaccines at substantially reduced costs compared to importing them from overseas.