A case for the introduction of a rotavirus vaccine in Papua New Guinea
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
[Extract] It is widely recognized that improving child health remains one of the great challenges facing Papua New Guinea (PNG). The poor health outcomes of the nation's children are often cited; nonetheless, the statistics are worthy of reiteration. PNG has an infant (children less than 1 year old) mortality rate of 50/1000 live births, and a childhood mortality rate (aged <5 years) of 60/1000 live births. These figures are the worst in the Pacific, and equate to the death of approximately 13,000 children each year (1). Collectively, infectious diseases such as pneumonia, malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases, meningitis and HIV(human immunodeficiency virus) infection are leading causes of morbidity in PNG, and account for approximately half of all deaths (2). The burden of many of these infectious diseases, particularly pneumonia and diarrhoea, is greater in children than in adults.
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Papua New Guinea Medical Journal
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59
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0031-1480
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3-4
Pages Count
5
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Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research
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