Costly new vaccine

The recently approved two-in-one vaccine for cervical cancer is too expensive for public vaccination, a senior government official has said.

Health and Child Welfare Deputy Minister, Douglas Mombeshora, told The Zimbabwean that parents who want to vaccinate their daughters will be expected to pay.

“The drug, which has been available in other countries like the UK, is very expensive and costs between $15 and $18 per dose. The government cannot afford to carry out an exercise to vaccinate all girls in the country for free because of the prohibitive costs involved,” said Mombeshora.

Mombeshora said that a private company applied to MCAZ for approval to supply the drug in the country, adding that the ministry, like its partners in southern Africa, would lobby for funding from its partners.

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