A Biometric Immunization System on children- KEMRI.
In collaboration with Japanese Nagasaki University, KEMRI has developed a Biometric Immunization System to ensure vaccines are administered effectively in children under five.
The system has characteristics such as measurement and analysis of biological characteristics such as fingerprints, facial features and DNA that keep important vaccination records of an infant.
DR Nzou stated,”We realised we did not have a way of tracking children, especially, about their vaccination system and history.”
The new technology will also manage a child’s vaccination history from birth. For instance Fingerprint identification is used for newborns and voice recognition for their caregivers, with the data stored within a matching system of a designated data bank.
Dr. Muuo stated,”Vaccination is a crucial aspect of ensuring the health and well-being of children. Vaccines help protect children from serious and potentially life-threatening diseases such as measles, polio, whooping cough, and more.”
“Vaccines work by stimulating the body’s immune system to create an immune response against specific pathogens, allowing the body to fight off infections,” he added.
For this new system to be tested, informed consent from the parents of newborn babies will be sought two months before birth, and barely hours before delivery.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all children receive the Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP), Polio, Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines.
Other vaccines include Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Hepatitis B, Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) and Rotavirus vaccines.
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