Today, the Health Minister, Dr. Richard Sezibera will officially launch the pneumococcal vaccine as part of the national immunization programme.

Our nation values its citizens as its richest resources and this strategy therefore is a major effort that the government has taken towards curbing the current 25 percent child mortality rate.

Pneumococcal diseases are very dangerous and may kill or disable most children affected, and therefore have long term consequences that could affect economic development.

Combating the burden of such a serious disease will not only improve the health of tomorrow’s generation but it will also bring us much closer to achieving our fourth Millennium Development goal that addresses a serious disparity in child mortality.

It is even better to note that development partners in this cause chose Rwanda as the first developing nation to introduce the vaccine as a result of our trusted good leadership that has ensured that 95 percent of our infants get immunization annually.

Government’s determination to immunize the 395,000 children annually against this deadly but preventable disease will certainly speed the level at which we attain our goals.

It is however up to Rwandans to utilize the great opportunities that government has brought closer to our door step.

To make this programme possible, we should all endeavor to take our babies for immunization knowing for a fact that prevention is far much better that seeking for a cure.   

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