A study that measured the cost-effectiveness of the rotavirus vaccine would save money to the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) but, to date, the institution has not decided to include it in the health system.
The study was conducted by the Ministry of Health and it was presented in December 2015.
According to Roberto Arroba, coordinator of Immunizations and Technical Secretary of the National Commission of Vaccination and Epidemiology, the study was sent to the Medical Management of the CCSS in February 2016.
Last week, the press requested information on the status of the vaccine. However, the CCSS replied they asked for additional information and have not yet received it.
At the end of her term as Minister of Health, María Luisa Ávila (May, 2006-August, 2011) regretted that the vaccine was not available in the basic vaccination scheme.
Ávila made the vaccine official by a decree published in September 2010.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, rotavirus disease is more common in infants and toddlers. Once a person has been exposed to rotavirus, the symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain) take about 2 days to appear and about a week to disappear.