Each year, more than 2 million children die from just four illnesses: malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea caused by rotavirus, and Japanese encephalitis. Today, we take a look at a vaccine to protect children from the most common cause of deadly diarrhea.
Illustration: PATH/Shawn Kavon.
The challenge
Rotavirus is as common as it is deadly. Nearly every child, rich or poor, is at risk of rotavirus infection, the most common cause of severe, dehydrating diarrhea. But 95 percent of rotavirus-related deaths in young children happen in low-income countries in Africa and Asia, where access to lifesaving care can be limited or unavailable. Vaccination is the best way to prevent rotavirus, which is highly contagious and resistant to traditional diarrhea prevention strategies like hand-washing and ensuring a clean water supply.
The vaccines
ROTAVAC® is a new vaccine awaiting licensure in India that could transform the fight against rotavirus. At a cost of just $1 per dose, ROTAVAC will protect children at a fraction of the price of currently available rotavirus vaccines. PATH was part of a cross-sector partnership led by the government of India that developed the vaccine, providing technical support on pivotal clinical trials and manufacturing issues. PATH also is working with manufacturers in China, India, and the United States to advance other promising rotavirus vaccine candidates, some of which are now in clinical trials.
The work to stop this leading child killer doesn’t end there. Two rotavirus vaccines currently available on the global market are effective and safe, and many countries that have introduced them have seen dramatic reductions in severe and fatal diarrhea. The GAVI Alliance leads a global partnership that is working to increase access to immunization in the world’s poorest countries. Through advocacy and communications support, PATH has helped GAVI introduce rotavirus vaccines in 22 low-income countries to date.
The future
The licensure of ROTAVAC in India will pave the way to submit the vaccine for prequalification by the World Health Organization, a key step in reaching children around the world with this affordable vaccine. And our work to reach more countries with currently available rotavirus vaccines will continue, with the GAVI-led partnership aiming to reach more than 30 countries by 2015.
More information
- Our work in vaccines and immunization.
- Our Vaccine Development Program.
- Our Vaccine Access and Delivery Program.
- DefeatDD website.
ROTAVAC is a registered trademark of Bharat Biotech International Ltd.