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Dubai new-borns to get Rotavirus vaccine

Dubai, February 3, 2014

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said all the child health clinics in the primary healthcare centres across the emirate will provide Rotavirus vaccine to children born in 2014.

The DHA move comes in line with the federal extended program for immunization ( EPI), said a senior official.

"The vaccine will be provided free-of-cost to local and expatriate babies born this year, who have a valid DHA health card and are eligible under the EPI scheme," stated Dr Ahmad bin Kalban, the CEO of Hospital Services Sector and Shared Support Sector at the DHA.

Dr Ali Sayed, the director of Pharmacy at the DHA said: "Rota virus is an oral vaccine provided in two doses - the first dose is for children aged two months and the second dose is provided at four months. It is an oral vaccine and helps prevent against rotavirus gastroenteritis which is a severe condition that often leads to hospitalization."

"Rotavirus gastroenteritis causes severe lose motions, vomiting and fever. We are very glad that this vaccine will now be part of the updated childhood vaccination schedule," he noted.

Kalban said the eligibility for obtaining this vaccine from DHA primary healthcare centres is for babies born on or after January 1 this year. "The DHA primary healthcare centres will begin administering the first dose of this vaccine for babies who have completed two months," he added.-TradeArabia News Service




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