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Haemophilus influenza (HiB) diseases

(Photo: WHO/Sergei Deshevoi)

WHO/Europe provides support to all countries in the European Region that do not currently include the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine in their immunization schedules, to accelerate decision-making on the introduction of the Hib vaccine.

Hib is estimated to cause millions of cases of serious disease worldwide and hundreds of thousands of deaths each year among young children. The main clinical manifestations of invasive Hib infections include severe pneumonia and meningitis.

Hib vaccines are the only public health tool capable of preventing the majority of cases of serious Hib disease. In view of their demonstrated safety and efficacy, WHO recommends including conjugate Hib vaccines in all routine infant immunization programmes.