Dohme welcomes launch of Rotateq in Rwanda

Merck Sharp & Dohme has welcomed the rollout of Africa's first national rotavirus vaccination programme with its Rotateq vaccine in Rwanda.

The vaccine will be administered to all children in the country following its initial launch at a health centre in Musanze District, with more than 100,000 infants set to receive it this year.

Nearly 22 percent of all Rwandan children aged between six and 11 months and 25 percent of children aged 12 to 23 months suffer from diarrheal infections, with roughly half of these caused by rotavirus.

Mark Feinberg, chief public health and science officer at Merck Vaccines, voiced his company's support for the African country's efforts "to help protect Rwanda's children against rotavirus-associated diarrhoea".

He added: "Rwanda is committed to the vaccination of their children and their accomplishments to date have been impressive."

Rotateq, which is administered orally rather than as a shot, has been registered and approved in more than 100 countries since 2006.