Nigeria introduces rotavirus vaccine into its immunisation plan

Rotavirus is a highly contagious, sometimes deadly, virus that commonly causes diarrhoea among infants and children under the age of five. Nigeria is particularly badly affected: approximately 50,000 Nigerian children under five die from the infection every year, 14% of the global total and the second highest number of deaths worldwide.

With the recent launch and integration of the rotavirus vaccine into the routine immunisation schedule in Nigeria, the country expects to reduce at least 40% of morbidity and mortality associated with rotavirus infections amongst children.

The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, says that the vaccine, which takes the form of oral drops, will be administered to infants at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, alongside other routine vaccines.

The vaccine is expected to be given to about seven million children across the 36 states in Nigeria for free over the next year.”