Neither the bite of the - fly [which causes the so-called sleeping sickness], or malaria or dengue fever, have been able to dissuade Francois Gasse to abandons his personal battle against neonatal tetanus.
Senior Project Officer of UNICEF on immunization since 2000, also known as' Doctor Tetanus' [although he preferred the nickname 'Doctor '], is convinced that the war can touch to an end in 2010. It is considered eradicated the disease when the frequency of their occurrence is less than one child per 1,000 newborns.
But even today, despite the existence of a vaccine, 180,000 children and 30,000 mothers die every year from their cause. 90% of these deaths occur in 27 developing countries, most of Africa.
"I think it is feasible, cheap and also much easier to eliminate other diseases such as malaria. Since 1999, a total of 11 countries have succeeded in eliminating the disease," has insisted that member during the presentation in Madrid UNICEF's campaign 'A pack = A vaccine', which this year is' Together we can eliminate neonatal tetanus. "
It also involved the Dodot company, which donates a vaccine for each package purchased by parents Spanish between October and December. In the previous year, the company managed to raise eight million vaccines.
'If you've seen someone with tetanus not ever forget it'
Neonatal tetanus is an infectious disease caused by a germ called 'Clostridium ' or 'bacillus Nicolai', who lives in the land, in the faeces and manure and that it is incapable of producing the disease if it does not feed in the human body through a wound in the form inactive. When the tissue is contaminated certain conditions, primarily a lack of oxygen, it begins to germinate into active forms, secreting a toxin harmful to the nervous system.
Is when you start the spiral of suffering. "If you've seen someone with tetanus not ever forget it. CAUSE spasms in the muscles and all the slightest noise makes them convulsions. They are the worst convulsions known to medicine. The pain is immense and the body is so arch violence Some patients have come to fracture the spine, "he adds.
"Poor hygiene during childbirth (like cutting the umbilical cord with a dirty knife) and the traditions of many countries are the cause of tetanus in newborns. The African cover the navel with cow dung, while in Cambodia or Laos do with cobwebs, "recalls Dr. Gasse that, following touring 92 countries in its fight against neonatal tetanus, acknowledges that it is" easier and faster to end the disease with the vaccine to try to change cultural habits of peoples ".
Just enough to administer three doses of vaccine tetanus toxoid (TT) to women of childbearing age. "Once they are protected against tetanus and became pregnant convey immunity to newborns in the first two or three months after birth. Later, the baby should receive three doses of DPT (Diphtheria / Pertussis / Tetanus) in services routine immunization, "says the expert.
While Dr. Francois Gasse diminish the significance of the great difficulties involved in tetanus vaccination in some corners of the globe, the truth is that their work is performed by saving new obstacles every day.
"In Africa, for example, many women have not seen a needle in their lives and gives them fear. Others however are suspicious and think that we are going to inject so that they can not have children. But in Pakistan, problem is that men can not vaccinate women. In the end we managed to train 50,000 Feminists for that alongside 9,000 men, to carry out the immunization plan, "he says.
The total cost of immunization (three doses of vaccine, logistics and administration for his transfer) amounted to 1.50 euros. "If we continue to get support, I am sure we can meet the deadline marked. The important thing is that the world knows that this disease exists. He never spoke of it and is a real tragedy," concluded the "anti-Doctor."
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