African countries beat Phl in eliminating maternal tetanus

MANILA, Philippines - Other countries, including those in Africa, beat the Philippines in eliminating maternal and neo-natal tetanus (MNT), a statement of the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday showed.

Citing reports of its MNT Elimination Initiative partners, the WHO said that over half of the 59 priority countries for MNT have gotten rid of the disease.

These are Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Iraq, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Timor Leste, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“Tetanus kills one newborn baby every nine minutes and almost all of these babies are born in poor families living in most disadvantaged areas and communities,” the WHO said.

The disease is transmitted to children who are born in unhygienic conditions and when non-sterile materials are used to cut their umbilicial cords or are applied to the umbilical bump.

The WHO, however, maintained that tetanus is easily preventable with three doses of vaccine that cost only $2. The vaccine is administered to the mother to protect her and her future children.

But despite the minimal cost of vaccination, there are still 28 countries that are “still working toward the elimination” of tetanus.

These are the Philippines, Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen.

“Since 1999, more than 118 million women of child-bearing age have been vaccinated against tetanus in 52 countries,” the WHO added.

The tetanus vaccine was given to women as part of an integrated campaign which included other life-saving interventions for children like immunization against measles, vitamin A supplements and deworming tablets.