So far, cholera vaccine has been little used in Haiti, where the disease has killed more than 2,000 people and spreads yet. However, major obstacles remain, including shortages, problems of transportation and the need to administer the vaccine several times so that it can be effective.
But the Pan American Health Organization, which represents the W.H.O. in the Western Hemisphere, learned recently that there may be one to two million doses of vaccine in the world, not only the 200,000 initially thought, Dr. Jon k. Andrus, the Pan American Deputy Director of the Organization, said Friday. "We recognize that it is time to rethink our position," he said. "We want miss an opportunity."
His organization held an expert meeting in Washington Friday next to consider buying these doses and move them to Haiti.
Even if the group is committed to move forward, no there is no quick fix. Most doses are in bulk, and it may take up to two months for loans, said Mr. Andrus. In addition, vaccines have not been tested by the W.H.O.
Also Friday, Dr. Paul Farmer, who is well known for the fight against AIDS in Haiti, has approved the widest use of vaccine he called for the establishment of stocks of emergency million doses keep cholera spread to other countries.
It has approved measures such as the central mountains of Haiti people too ill to achieve the use of antibiotics clinical, even research where moderate and rebuild networks in water and sanitation ruined by the earthquake of January.
Other experts of cholera, including a different team from Harvard Medical School, where Dr. Farmer teaches, also called for the millions of doses of stop outbreaks, as is now done with measles and influenza drug Tamiflu vaccine storage.
There are only two brands of cholera vaccine in the world: Dukoral, Sweden, which is approved by W.H.O. and costs $ 40 by dose and Shanchol, presented last year by Shantha Biotechnics India 6 $ one dose.
Well that are not approved by the World Health Organization, Shanchol was created at the international Institute for vaccines in Seoul, South Korea pursuant to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and designed to meet W.H.O..
Cholera is widespread in India Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and is estimated at more than 100 000 people per year in the region to kill. Genetic tests have shown that the outbreak of Haiti is a strain of the region.
Until very recently, cholera vaccines have been little used. Injectable old protected less than half of those who gave them and protection decreased after a few months. New vaccines are oral, making it easier to give, but they need two doses at least a week apart in adults and three children and start protecting a week later.
A spokesman for doctors without borders, fighting cholera in Haiti, said that he had no position on vaccines yet because they were not available and necessary too long to work.
Creation of a world reserve against future outbreaks is "a separate issue" response to Haiti, where doctors will complete just to die rehydrated people, Mr. Andrus said.
A building would be very expensive, but it pointed out that donors such as United States and Canada, foundations and philanthropic groups raised billions of dollars for vaccines against polio and other diseases. They could contribute to build a pool of cholera now that better vaccines are deployed, he said.
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