25,000 Doses of Influenza Vaccine are Received by West Panama
Each year, the influenza virus has the ability to mutate frequently, so the WHO updates the composition of the vaccine. This first batch of 384,000 doses of influenza vaccine acquired by Panama protects against the AH1N1, AH3N2, and B/Victoria strains.
The Ministry of Health (MINSA) allocated 25,000 doses of influenza vaccines to be distributed in health facilities in the five districts of the province of Panama West. Of this total, 15,000 doses will be administered by the regional directorate of MINSA and 10,000 doses will be distributed in the polyclinics and local primary health care units of the CSS.
This distribution ensures the availability of the vaccine throughout the province’s health services network, with a view to strengthening the population’s protection against the increase in respiratory diseases. Damaris Ramos, the nurse coordinator of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), indicated that this first batch of vaccines will allow progress in the immunization of the at-risk population, which includes children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases.
The first batch of 384,000 doses of influenza vaccines acquired by Panama protects against the AH1N1, AH3N2 and B/Victoria strains, which are circulating in the country. Each year, the influenza virus has the ability to mutate frequently, so the World Health Organization (WHO) updates the composition of the vaccine. In the following days, the two remaining batches, of 384,000 and 98,000 doses , will arrive, completing the purchase made by the country to immunize the population against influenza.
