Nature: Tackle Nepal’s typhoid problem now
Buddha Basnyat, director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit at Patan Hospital

“…[W]ide deployment of a vaccine [for typhoid fever] could be a useful — and lifesaving — measure. As part of the post-earthquake recovery plan, Nepal should kick-start a long-promised vaccination program. … At present, just one typhoid vaccine is approved by the WHO. It would be cheaper for Nepali health officials to deploy an alternative vaccine, not pre-qualified by the WHO. It is unclear why they have not yet done so; perhaps they are reluctant to be seen to be going against WHO guidance. The decision to vaccinate — whichever vaccine is used — must be backed with solid research…” (8/18).