DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Ministry of Public Health announced it is phasing in a new children vaccination scheme. The hexavalent acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine is introduced to replace the pentavalent vaccine in its childhood immunization program, marking a significant step in public health.

The new vaccine, administered at 2, 4, and 6 months with a booster at 18 months, protects against six life-threatening diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and polio. The vaccine is available starting 1 May 2024 and aims to reduce the number of injections children receive, easing the burden on families and improving vaccination adherence.

The hexavalent vaccine consolidates protection against polio into a single shot, eliminating the need for a separate polio injection. This innovation cuts the total number of...