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• Caribbean
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• Health and Medicine
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• Politics and Government
• 06 / 04 / 2009

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A Cuban national Immunization Program implemented since 1962 has saved the lives of more than 23,000 children and has eliminated nearly 13,000 cases of poliomyelitis in the Caribbean nation.

During an exclusive interview with ACN, Dr. Miguel Angel Galindo added that this program has also prevented some 3,000 children from being born blind, deaf or suffering cardiopathies.

The expert recalled that the first vaccination program in 1962 was aimed at the protection of children against five diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis and tuberculosis. Galindo explained that the program currently protects children against 13 diseases, with 11 different vaccines.

He added that five of these vaccines are produced by the Havana-based Finlay Institute and three others by the Center of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering also in the Cuban capital, while only three are imported.

The expert noted that 75 million doses of the vaccine against poliomyelitis have been administered in Cuba and that all the population under 62 years of age is protected against this disease.

The Cuban immunization program has also helped other nations such as Haiti and Angola in the fight against epidemics of measles and poliomyelitis, for example.

(PL)