Health Minister Jerry Narace told reporters Monday the government of Trinidad and Tobago has spent just over $15 million to get 280,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine.Narace said 260,000 doses were bought for TT$50.40 (US$8) each in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which is the regional arm of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The additional 20,000 doses are coming from a private European manufacturer for TT$94.50 (US$15) a dose.
The minister promised that 50,000 vaccine would be available on November 16, and a second batch of 20,000 doses bought privately would be delivered the next day.
The other 210,000 doses that's coming through collaboration with PAHO would arrive one week later, the minister said, noting that the health authorities have a strategic vaccine-delivery plan based on PAHO's recommendations to administer the vaccines to priority groups.
The top of the list on that group is front line health workers, customs officials and other security officials who come into close contact with people who might be infected.
The next in line are high risk individuals including pregnant women, those with pre-existing respiratory disease, such as asthma, the obese and all children under the age of two.
Narace said so far there been 215 H1N1 laboratory-confirmed cases and five H1N1-related deaths.
Medical sources say there are currently eight patients at the San Fernando General Hospital who are being treated for the flu virus. They say one of them is critically ill and on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit.
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