Has your newborn arrived yet? It is vital to protect your child from deadly childhood diseases through vaccination.
What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is a medical product that helps your immune system to develop immunity against a dangerous organism, typically a bacteria or a virus. The vaccines used in Ghana are prepared by specialized labs monitored by international organizations such as the WHO and UNICEF and procured through the GAVI vaccine alliance. These vaccines are used worldwide for all children and are very safe.
There are various ways to prepare and formulate a vaccine which determines the types of vaccines available today. The types are
- The attenuated (live) vaccine:
The vaccine is made from a weakened version of the organism. These vaccines give immunity that lasts for a very long time. Usually, one or two doses will provide your baby with lifelong immunity. Examples are Tuberculosis(BCG), Polio, yellow fever, Rotavirus, Measles, mumps and rubella.
- The inactivated (dead) vaccine:
This vaccine is made from the inactivated version of the organism. An example is the Inactivated Polio vaccine (IPV).
- The toxoid vaccine:
The vaccine is made from an inactivated version of the toxin produced by the organism. This means that if your child is infected by the organism, the toxin produced by the organism will be rendered inactive. Usually, multiple doses of this vaccine are needed during a lifetime. Examples are Dipthteria and Tetanus. This explains why all pregnant women also receive the tetanus vaccine during antenatal sessions in Ghana.
- Part/subunit/conjugate vaccine:
The vaccine is made from small pieces of the organism, usually the outside wall cover. These pieces of themselves are harmless and cannot cause disease but they stimulate the immune system to produce immunity. Examples of these vaccines are Haemophilus, Hepatitis B, Pertussis, Pneumococcus and meningococcus.
How many injections will my child get at a visit?
In order to reduce the number of injections during vaccinations, some of the vaccines have been combined in one bottle. An example is the Pentavalent vaccine. It contains five (5) different vaccines: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Haemophilus and Hepatitis B. It works very well together to build your child's immunity. Another example is the Measles and rubella vaccine which is given together.
Other vaccines are available in Ghana but are not part of the Expanded Programme of Immunization. These include chicken pox, mumps and hepatitis A.
You can read about the vaccines here.
Comments
Post a Comment