Gambia news and features

The largest and most comprehensive study of childhood diarrhoea has confirmed rotavirus as the single biggest cause of diarrhoea-related death and illness in developing countries. This latest evidence suggests that a large number of children are dying from this vaccine-preventable pathogen, and supports the decision by the GAVI Alliance to prioritise rotavirus vaccines.

A revolutionary meningitis vaccine will reach the 100 millionth person this week in a region of Africa that has been plagued by deadly epidemics for more than a century. The milestone will take place in northern Nigeria, part of Africa’s “meningitis belt’, where the country is conducting its second seasonal immunisation campaign against the disease.

GAVI statement in response to the latest interim data on the trial of malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S published by Glaxosmithkline and Path malaria vaccine initiative.

Useful information for anyone attending the Partners' Forum in Tanzania: Climate, Passports & Visas, Health, Safety, General behaviour in public, Currency, Tipping, Electricity, Shopping

Advances lauded as Malawi becomes next developing country to introduce pneumococcal vaccine on Saturday - World Pneumonia Day.

The Republic of Burundi will next week accelerate its fight against pneumonia, the world's biggest killer of children under five, when it becomes the tenth African country to introduce new pneumococcal vaccines.

The GAVI Alliance welcomes the commitment made by nations at the World Health Assembly in Geneva today to combat the world's biggest killer of children under five.

The GAVI-funded Hib Initiative paved the way for low-income countries to introduce vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b infection

Through its commitment to immunisation and other child health interventions, Vietnam has drastically reduced its child deaths, putting the country well on track to reach the Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG) before the 2015 deadline.