UAE hit by varicella vaccine shortage

An outbreak of varicella zoster virus among Sharjah labourers has left local paediatricians without access to a vaccine for almost two months.

A surge in cases in a single labour camp during June has been blamed for the spike in vaccine demand, with press reports claiming that infected colleagues were not separated from other workers.

"There has been a great shortage of the vaccine...it has been many weeks without supply," said Dr Denis Hardy, a paediatrician at Royal Hospital, Sharjah. "It has been quite a concern."

"It is very contagious so in that sort of community, as well as school and dormitories, it goes round very quickly," said Dr Amal Samaha of Dubai's Manchester Clinic.

Samaha felt there had been little communication from the Ministry of Health during the shortage: "We did not receive any feedback or information."

Government healthcare centres have remained in stock throughout the period, but have reportedly refused appeals from the private sector to distribute the vaccine.

Dr Denis Hardy said that the problem had been widespread throughout the UAE and in some cases waiting lists were dangerously high.

"I was talking to other paediatricians and one said that they had 50 patients waiting for the vaccine," he said.

A spokesperson for GlazoSmithKline, manufacturer of the Varilrix vaccine, said the drug would be freely available on the market this month.

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