to child vaccines – Ramsammy
MINISTER of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy yesterday bemoaned the existing state of affairs between the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

He lamented the situation at the opening of a sub-regional training course on Integrated Management of Child Illnesses (IMCI) with participants from Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize and Jamaica.

Ramsammy disclosed that the disagreement involving the two agencies has resulted in what he described as the “slow introduction” of the pneumococcus and rotavirus vaccine in Guyana’s immunisation programme.

He said vaccines are resources that should be available to all children and no difference of opinions should stop them from getting to a child.

The two vaccines are recent additions to the local system and would place Guyana among top countries as it relates to vaccination programmes.

According to Ramsammy, in the past, PHAO has always procured vaccines for the Caribbean region because acquisition in larger volumes would facilitate a cheaper unit price.

“The price is always based on volume since buying in bulk means we pay less,” he explained.

However, Ramsammy said GAVI recently negotiated a higher price and wishes Guyana to buy its vaccines.

Limitation
He said non-compliance with this request has resulted in a limitation of access to vaccines usually made available by GAVI.

“It is not about anything else but about those who need the vaccines…maybe a child that would die tomorrow would be alive if we have the vaccine,” Ramsammy pointed out.

He said vaccines are a critical element that assists in the reduction of child deaths.

“It is criminal that there is the availability of these vaccines and it is not accessible to the children,” Ramsammy declared.

He said most disturbing is the fact that financing, the usual constraint, is not the problem but politics has reduced access to the vaccines.

Ramsammy said PAHO and the Revolving Fund, as well as GAVI play critical roles in procurement of vaccines, which is much appreciated.

But these international players which have always assisted in increasing accessibility to vaccines have now slowed the access because of “political problems,” Ramsammy said.

“They can’t solve the issue and so we are unable to move on,” he added, expressing his desire for the agencies to resolve their differences as soon as possible, hopefully, by the week end.

Ramsammy said it is desirable to see the two vaccines offered as part of the routine immunization programme.

“No region has had success with immunisation like we (the Caribbean) have,” he said.

The Minister said equitable access can only be ensured if manufacturers are allowed equal space in the market.