Havana, January 30 (RHC)-- More than five thousand have been immunized against pneumonia, using a new pneumococcal vaccine. Developed by the Havana-based Finlay Institute, the new vaccine has proven to be effective against the seven most common serotypes, causing pneumonia and meningitis.

After successful clinical trials with the medication since 2006, project directors said as of 2019 the pneumococcal vaccine will be available at local health centers nationwide.

During the recently concluded 28th Congress of the Cuban Society of Pediatrics, Cuban experts with the Finlay Institute noted that although medicines to protect children against pneumonia and meningitis are available worldwide, Cuba has not been able to buy them due to their high cost. They added that full immunization, using any of the two such vaccines on the world market today, requires that each child receive at least three doses. 

In that sense, they insisted that the new Cuban vaccine will have a significant impact in risk reduction.