eta, 1/24/2013 results of independent investigation:
Meningitis Vaccine in Chad: Not the cause of anything except immunity to Meningitis A
Yesterday's post on events surrounding a meningitis immunization clinic in a remote part of Chad -- I have updates.
From the Meningitis Vaccine Project Download MVPstatement_10Jan2013_EN
Statement: MenAfriVac vaccination campaign in Gouro, ChadVia e-mail, I contacted the US embassy in Chad. Les McBride (USAID Program Manager – Chad at the U.S. Embassy, N’Djaména) replied
Ferney-Voltaire, 10 January 2013—The Meningitis Vaccine Project learned of the story published in the Chadian weekly La Voix regarding the MenAfriVac vaccine that was introduced in Gouro in December 2012. On behalf of our global partners, we wish to emphasize that we take every MenAfriVac-related report very seriously.
An investigation team is on the ground in Chad to explore what caused these statements. All available data point to the high safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. We believe that the investigation in Chad will shed light on the exact circumstances that caused the publication of the article in La Voix. We will make that information public as the scientific reports become available.
Q: I would really like to have more facts on the matter to publicize. Can you help me? Specifically, has any more information been made public about the cause of the childrens' illnesses?
A: We are not aware of any additional information that has been made public. There is a CDC doctor based in Chad with whom we have occasional contact and he has kindly provided us with some details through e-mail communication. A CDC team from Brazzaville has also arrived and is in the process of investigating this accident.
Q:How many children were affected?
A: 34 (source: weekly Health Ministry epidemiologic meeting attended by CDC).
Q: How many were hospitalized?
A: No reliable information available; we only have anecdotal reports from laypeople.
Q:Are any still hospitalized?
A: Idem.
So. Christina England's claim that "40 children were paralyzed by the MenAfriVac" cannot be verified, and is most likely false. Sarah "The Healthy Home Economist"'s claim that "government of Chad desperately trying to silence the frantic parents of the paralyzed children by paying them hush money" has no evidentiary base, and is most likely false

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