Parliament - Less children under the age of five are dying from diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia, and rotavirus diarrhoea as a result of the introduction of two vaccines in 2009, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Tuesday.
Tabling his budget vote, Motsoaledi said the impact of the new vaccines were monitored by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).
“The NICD found a 70 percent decline in invasive pneumococcal disease in children under the age of five,” Motsoaledi said.
“Pneumococcal diseases include vey dangerous diseases like meningitis and severe pneumonia. These are the leading causes of death of children five years and under globally. In South Africa, pneumococcal disease comes only second to HIV and AIDS in causing deaths of under fives.”
The NICD also documented a 66 percent reduction in the number of children admitted to hospital with rotavirus diarrhoea.
The costs of treating the diseases were much higher than preventing it.
“One shot of vaccine for pneumococcus is R600, but to treat pneumonia will cost R6 930 and to treat meningitis will cost R17 903.
Motsoaledi used the figures to illustrate how preventative healthcare would remain the cornerstone of healthcare in the country.
“Curing diseases is always regarded as a nobler scientific feat and preventing them is never regarded as a scientific achievement,” he said.
“No matter what the detractors say, we shall not abandon or weaken the preventative aspect of the health system, on the contrary it is going to be the foundation of our programme of health system strengthening.”
ANA