Muscat: The Ministry of Health has inaugurated the inclusion of the rotavirus vaccine in the national schedule for the immunization programme, the fourth edition of the national guide for the immunization programme, and the Omani guide for immunization.
Dr Hilal bin Ali bin Hilal al Sabti, Minister of Health, said, "The Sultanate of Oman is moving forward towards achieving many initiatives that we are proud of, and that this was clear through the achievements that have been achieved over the past years."
The update of the National Action Strategy for Vaccines defines the vision for immunizations in the Sultanate of Oman until 2030.
Globally, there are about 111 million cases of diarrhea due to rotavirus annually, including more than two million hospitalizations, and more than 600,000 deaths.
At the national level, the annual incidence of rotavirus infection is estimated at 60,000 cases, including 6,000 hospitalizations, at a rate of 36 percent of the total hospitalized children.
Children will be immunized with this vaccine at two doses for each child in the second and fourth month of life for the target groups estimated at 90,000 children annually, which will reduce the hospitalization rate by 90 percent.
The government is currently spending around RO1 million Omani riyals for those hospitalized for cases of diarrhea due to rotavirus.
What is rotavirus
According to WHO, rotaviruses are the leading cause of severe, dehydrating diarrhea in children aged less than 5. In developing countries, the first episode is frequently delayed until the age of 2-5 years.
Severe rotavirus gastroenteritis is largely limited to children aged 6-24 months.
Rotaviruses are shed in very high concentrations and for many days in the stools and vomitus of infected individuals.
Transmission occurs primarily by the fecal-oral route, directly from person to person, or indirectly via contaminated fomites.
The universal occurrence of rotavirus infections shows that clean water supplies and good hygiene are unlikely to have a substantial effect on virus transmission.
Rotaviruses are shed in very high concentrations and for many days in the stools and vomitus of infected individuals. Transmission occurs primarily by the fecal-oral route, directly from person to person or indirectly via contaminated fomites.
The universal occurrence of rotavirus infections shows that clean water supplies and good hygiene are unlikely to have a substantial effect on virus transmission.
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