Murcia to invest 6.8 million euros in pneumococcal vaccine

Murcia is equipped with more vaccines. The autonomous region government will invest 6.8 million euros in contracting pneumococcal vaccines Within the next two years, as stated in the profile of the community contractor.

Specifically, the regional administration will contract to supply 20 serotypes (20-valent) pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for the vaccination program in the region of Murcia in 2023 and 2024.

The Murcia government plans to purchase a total of 140,000 doses of this type of pneumococcal vaccine. According to the contract, half of the doses will be distributed in 2023 and the other half next year.

Murcia to procure a total of 140,000 doses of vaccine in 2023 and 2024

All people over the age of 65 and those over the age of 18 with certain risky medical conditions (such as chronic lung disease, chronic liver disease, cardiovascular disease, asthma, or diabetes) are especially vulnerable to developing pneumococcal disease, and the disease is more severe. The same is true for immunocompromised adults.

Pneumococcal disease manifests as meningitis, sepsis, or pneumonia, caused by pneumococcus or streptococcus pneumoniae. Occurs in healthy people or those debilitated by chronic diseasesuch as heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, diabetes or alcoholism, and those recovering from acute infectious processes such as influenza.

In Murcia, there are an estimated 3,000 cases of acquired pneumonia in people over the age of 64 each year, most of which are caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, which may mean that some 2,200 hospital admissions and 390 deaths each year. In addition to the burden of disease, it creates enormous costs, as admitted patients alone require approximately 23,000 hospital days.

In Murcia, an estimated 3,000 cases of acquired pneumonia occur annually in people over 64 years of age.

Along with other communities, Murcia has invested in the pneumococcal vaccine over the past few months. This is the case for the Balearic Islands, which have allocated 3.2 million euros to purchase vaccines for 2023 and 2024.

Castilla-La Mancha paid 6.8 million euros for 150,000 doses of the pneumococcal vaccine. As far as the Manchego region is concerned, the vaccine belongs to the Pfizer laboratory in the United States.