• Age categories under consideration by Standing Committee
• If approved, vaccination available only in private sector

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is expected to make a decision soon on the approval of a Japanese dengue vaccine for limited use in Sri Lanka, with the relevant age categories and other criteria still being considered, Health Ministry Secretary Dr Anil Jasinghe said yesterday (29).

Dr Jasinghe, responding to questions from The Daily Morning, said that if approved, the vaccine would initially be available only through the private sector and would not be purchased or provided by the Government through State hospitals. “The Government will not be purchasing the vaccine. Anyone who wishes to obtain it and can afford it will be able to take it,” he said.

He categorically clarified that the dengue vaccine is intended for prevention and would not be administered to patients who are already suffering from dengue. “Vaccines aren’t given to people who are sick. They are given to prevent the disease,” Dr Jasinghe said.

He said that the NMRA’s Standing Committee is currently evaluating the vaccine and that the approval process had not yet been completed. “The Committee will consider the relevant age categories and other requirements before a final decision is made,” he said.

Meanwhile, a team of US dengue control experts is currently in Sri Lanka to assess the dengue situation and explore possible areas of cooperation, Dr Jasinghe said. He said that the team, consisting of around four experts including entomologists, an infectious disease physician and a health planner, met Sri Lankan officials on Monday (27). “They came to see whether they could assist us, whether we could assist them, or whether we could share expertise between the two sides. It could be any of these possibilities,” Dr Jasinghe said. The visiting experts are expected to visit the Health Ministry’s National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Hospital as part of their assessment. Dr Jasinghe said that the team would prepare a report after reviewing the situation.

According to the NDCU’s NaDSys Surveillance System, dengue cases in the country increased further to 83,661 by Tuesday midnight (28). The dengue-related death toll had also risen to 61, according to the surveillance data. The Western Province continues to record the highest number of dengue cases, accounting for 53.02 per cent of the total cases reported.