Feature: Egypt starts A(H1N1) vaccination campaign amid fears of side effects
January 6, 2010 10:21 am
by Wael Naguib
CAIRO, Jan. 6 — At a private school in Cairo's northern suburb of Shubra, Afaf, a 36-year-old housewife, insisted to accompany her two children to make sure that they would not be vaccinated against the influenza A(H1N1).
"I would never agree to let my kids get vaccinated, I am afraid there would be side effects," said Afaf.
The mother went on saying that "I can not trust this vaccine. I think it is better not to vaccinate our children but to wait and see what would happen."
Earlier this week, the Egyptian Health Ministry launched a campaign to vaccinate primary school students in the governorates of Cairo, Qalyubeiya, Sixth of October, Helwan, and Alexandria.
The campaign, which will last for 10 days, aims at vaccinating 2.3 million children over six years old in an attempt to fight the spreading novel virus.
Egypt confirmed its first influenza A(H1N1) death case on July 19. A 28-year-old Egyptian woman, who was back from Saudi Arabia after making Umrah (pilgrimage to Mecca at any time of the year), died of the flu virus.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education had closed more than 100 schools in which some A(H1N1) cases were reported for 15 days as a precautious measure to prevent the spread of the flu.
However, most parents were against the campaign for fear of the side effects.
"I signed a paper in which I disagree to vaccinate my 9-year- old child," said Amany, a 32-year-old civil servant, whose child attends the same school with Afaf's.
"I am not sure whether the new vaccine is safe, some people said it might harm my child," said Amany.
The government has supported the vaccination campaign with TV programs and newspaper reports to calm people and persuade them to accept the vaccine.
Hatem el-Gabli, the Egyptian health minister, tried hard to persuade parents to vaccinate their children, assuring them that the vaccine is safe and does not have side effects.
El-Gabli denied reports that a number of vaccine companies have withdrawn the vaccine after 12 persons suffered paralysis.
Youssry el-Gamal, Egypt's former education minister, said he is keen to see all students get vaccinated, adding that his daughter had already get vaccinated at her school in Alexandria and he himself received the first vaccine shot on Sunday.
Not all parents refused to vaccinate their children.
Emad Mohamed, a 34-year-old journalist, assured that he would let his 9-year-old child get vaccinated as he thought it would protect him against the deadly virus.
"I agree to vaccinate my son Mohamed otherwise he would suffer from the new virus," he said.
Up till now, A(H1N1) death toll in Egypt reached 162 with more than 12,400 reported cases of the novel flu, according to the Health Ministry. (PNA/Xinhua)
ALM/ebp
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