T&T will get its quota of Swine Flu vaccines: CMO

The Chief Medical Officer in the health ministry assured the media on Saturday that Trinidad and and Tobago will get its 260,000 vaccines for the H1N1 virus despite warnings from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of a shortfall in the supply of swine flu vaccines.

The CDC expects a shortfall of about 12 million doses of the vaccine, according to reports by American news agencies.

Dr Anton Cumberbatch said although production of vaccines is slower than expected there is no reason to fear because the country has been assured that it will get its full supply.

Cumberbatch said Trinidad and Tobago normally receives its vaccines through a revolving fund with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

He said PAHO buys vaccines on behalf of all the countries that fall under its jurisdiction, which includes many countries in South and Central America, including Trinidad and Tobago.

Cumberbatch explained that PAHO buys from more than one manufacturer. “This is standard. This is not only for H1N1 vaccines, but in the way vaccines are produced and delivered on demand."

In June, Health Minister Jerry Narace said foreign pharmaceutical companies had offered to supply vaccines to the country by October. Now the estimated delivery date is mid-November, and that is making citizens nervous because of the rapid spread of the flu.

Government has so far confirmed at least four Swine Flu deaths in San Fernando and some medical experts say they expect the situation to get worse. The four deaths were in one week.

Former health minister Dr Hamza Rafeeq said last week that the government is putting people at risk because the vaccines would only cover about a quarter of the population. In addition, he said there are no proper protocols for dealing with the flu and health facilities are poorly equipped to deal with the problem.

Read the story: Poor health care puts T&T at risk

The Trinidad Guardian said it talked with one senior medical doctor at the Eric Williams Medical Complex (EWMSC) who said the country should expect more deaths.

"We saw a mad rush of people, who perhaps a week ago, would just stick it out at home," the paper quoted the unnamed doctor as saying.

Cumberbatch appealed to people with flu-like symptoms to stay at home and avoid travelling on public transit and air-conditioned taxis. He said such an environment provides the ideal conditions for spreading the virus.

Check the PAHO H1N1 Pandemic portal