45,000 vaccines issued

The Ministry of Health has administered some 45,000 doses of flu vaccines since last October, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh revealed yesterday.

And, he again boasted there has been no death from influenza within the past two years.

“To date, we have delivered free of charge, about 45,000 doses of flu vaccines,” he said at a health fair on the Brian Lara Promenade, Port of Spain. Deyalsingh said in his first month in office, the ministry administered about 6,000 doses of the flu vaccine.

“I had eight deaths in that first year as minister of health and I vowed this will not happen again under my tenure.” He said the ministry embarked on a rigorous vaccination programme which ensured a significant increase in the doses of flu vaccines. “So, we took this country from 6,000 doses of flu vaccine to 75,000 doses within one year. So, we had no deaths.”

Deyalsingh said a flu season usually runs from October of any one year to May of the following year.

“So, this year’s flu season started in October 2017 and will end in May 2018, next month. So for this flu season, we have given out, to date, 45,000 doses and for the second consecutive year, do you know how many deaths we have had–none.”