Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Algeria has received its first batch of anti-swine flu vaccines. A total of 450,000 doses were delivered with some more 900,000 being expected by the end of December. Health Ministry spokesman Abdeslam Chakou said part of the vaccines would be taken to Pasteur Institute for analysis.
Chakou said the rest would remain at Boumediene International Airport where they were stocked upon arrival. The first batch is composed of a unique product called Arepanrix.
In spite of the urgency across the country, the health ministry says experts at the Pasteur Institute would be given enough time analysing the vaccine before general vaccination.
For a more effective fight against epidemic, Chakou said that masks would be freely distributed to schools where cases of H1N1 influenza were reported. Some 31 classes have been closed so far, APS said.
The H1N1 vaccines are manufactured by the Canadian subsidiary of British firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and distributed in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations and controlling systems.
Chakou said the pandemic in Algeria "is growing" with 16 death cases reported so far.
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