By Lara Pickford-Gordon Saturday, November 21 2009

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Phase one of the roll out of the influenza A H1N1 pandemic vaccines will begin next week and among the first to receive will be “essential decision makers” comprising parliamentarians, members of the judiciary, including judges, “captains of industry, key non-governmental organisations (and) people in the media”.

This was disclosed by Health Minister Jerry Narace as he responded to questions from the media yesterday following the formal opening of the newly redecorated Paediatric Outpatient Clinic at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope. Also receiving vaccines in phase one will be front line health workers and national security personnel.

The Health Ministry received the first shipment of 50,000 doses yesterday and they will be stored at the National Insurance Property Development Company Ltd warehouse C40 at Chaguaramas. Another 20,000 will arrive on Tuesday. The shipment arrives four days after its expected date. Distribution takes place tomorrow and Narace said vaccinations will take place from Monday. The vaccines are being supplied by Novartis (brand name “Focetria”) and Sanofi-Pasteur (brand name “Panenza”).

He advised members of the public not to visit health centres to get vaccines as “the ministry in collaboration with the private sector health facilities and other authorities identified the priority groups and the ministry will approach all groups for proper administration.”

Asked how the “essential decision makers” would be listed, Narace said the ministry would provide further details within 24 hours via a Frequently Asked Questions public bulletin. It will identify the frontline workers and high risk groups.

In his address, he announced that phase one will occur in three stages. The first stage will involve vaccination of health workers, national security personnel — army, Police, fire service, workers at ports — and essential decision makers.

Narace said, “These groups don’t have to visit health clinics for the vaccine. Ministry of Health staff will be sent to these locations to administer the vaccine.”

In the second stage the vaccine will be provided to pregnant women and children two to five years. They will receive their vaccines at their next scheduled visit at clinics.

In the third stage persons with chronic respiratory conditions, chronic non-communicable diseases and immune system conditions will get their vaccines during their “scheduled visits” to health care facilities.

“The idea is to roll it out without too much confusion,” Narace said.

Local medical organisations have been notified and arrangements have been made for the vaccines to be available to private health providers based on need so they can administer the vaccines to their patients—pregnant women, paediatric clients and patients in high risk groups.

At a media briefing on November 9, the ministry announced that there were 215 confirmed cases of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, and five deaths. There have been no deaths in Tobago.

Narace said the health system was ready for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and will be on emergency alert pre-CHOGM and “maximum alert” for CHOGM. Public and private facilities will be used. Narace said the ministry was being “proactive” in making additional capacity available at institutions and it was not due to the expectation of more H1N1 cases after CHOGM.

The WHO has accepted the recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) which held a special meeting on immunisation for the H1N1 pandemic last July in Geneva. SAGE suggested priority for immunisation be given to pregnant women; those aged above six months with one of several chronic medical conditions; healthy young adults of 15 to 49 years; healthy children; healthy adults of 50 to 64 years; and healthy adults of 65 years and above. However, it said countries had to determine their “order of priority based on country-specific conditions”. WHO has recommended that health workers (one to two percent of the world population) be vaccinated as a first priority and then a number of other groups were listed for countries’ consideration for prioritisation.