FRANCAIS

April 28, 2004

Manitoba children will have free access to three new vaccines that will help to reduce the serious complications of meningitis, chickenpox and pneumococcal infections, Healthy Living Minister Jim Rondeau announced today during National Immunization Week.

“The vaccines will be provided as part of the province’s childhood immunization program and at no cost to Manitoba families,” said Rondeau. “As announced in the provincial budget, the Manitoba government is committed to expanding the use of vaccines to prevent serious childhood illnesses and their complications.”

The three new vaccines are:

• Conjugated Meningococcal Type C vaccine - prevents bloodstream and meningitis infections;

• Conjugated Pneumococcal Vaccine - prevents infections from seven types of pneumococcal bacteria that can cause bloodstream and middle ear infections, meningitis and pneumonia; and

• Varicella Vaccine - prevents chickenpox and complications arising from chickenpox, including skin infections and encephalitis, an infection of the brain.

These vaccines offer protection against serious diseases that are preventable if the new vaccines are administered before a person is infected.

The new vaccines will be introduced after a collaborative planning process with various groups responsible for the co-ordination and delivery of immunization programs.

The programs will be introduced in a phased-in approach beginning this fall. Such planning efforts will ensure that these new programs are organized, implemented and communicated effectively. This planning will include the distribution of information to ensure parents and health providers across the province are fully aware of the addition of the three new vaccines.

The vaccines will be administered by public health nurses at schools and clinics and by physicians at clinics. Details of which age groups will receive the vaccines will be provided during the planning process.

“Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health activities available because it protects children, adults and the elderly from a wide variety of diseases before they strike,” said Rondeau. “It is an excellent example of primary prevention.”

Rondeau noted the introduction of the three new vaccines into Manitoba’s universal immunization program is the result of partnerships between federal, provincial and territorial governments that helped develop Canada’s National Immunization Strategy. One of the major goals of the strategy was to create equity of access to new vaccines for children across Canada.

Funding for these new vaccines comes from the $300 million immunization initiative announced in the recent federal government budget. Distribution of the funding to provinces and territories will occur on a per capita basis.

For information, members of the public may call Health Links-Info Santé at 788-8200 or (toll free) 1-888-315-9257.

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