Dengue vaccine approval only for private hospitals, one dose Rs. 30,000

Although the private sector has currently been granted approval to use the 'Qdenga – Tak 003' vaccine, which is targeted at young children to control dengue infection, government hospitals have not received that approval

Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa states that due to this lack of approval, children receiving treatment in government hospitals have been subjected to great injustice.

The doctor alleges that allowing only the private sector to use the 'Qdenga – Tak 003' vaccine in the country, while the National Medicines Regulatory Authority has not given full approval for its use, has caused severe injustice to the country's free healthcare service.

To prevent dengue infection, only two doses of this vaccine need to be given to young children with a three-month interval. He also states that one vial of this vaccine currently costs about 80 US dollars in the international market.

Accordingly, patients in this country will have to spend nearly 60,000 rupees to receive both vaccine doses. Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa further states that TAK – 003 is currently the only vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for children aged 6-16 in areas with high dengue prevalence, and that it is administered in 2 doses with a three-month interval, injected into the fatty layer of the skin, allowing it to be slowly absorbed into the body.