Case Study

Mlungisi Dukiso and his mother Nomsa

In 1999, Nomsa Dukiso Khonco, learned of a trial for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine from her local clinic. Back then her son Mlungisi was only a baby. The staff at the clinic explained the reasons behind the trial and Nomsa was interested to hear that they hoped the vaccine would help protect Mlungisi against pneumonia and meningitis.

Mlungisi later received his “booster” shot at Baragwanath hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa. This was offered to the 40,000 children who took part in the original randomized, double-bind pneumococcal conjugate vaccine trial, which ended in 2000.

Fortunately, none of Nomsa’s children have suffered from pneumonia. Unlike the many HIV positive children around him, Mlungisi is far less likely to catch pneumonia as his immune system is stronger.

Mlungisi still suffers from colds and bouts of the flu, just like any other normal child. Nomsa knows of many mothers whose babies have caught pneumonia and is very pleased that Mlungisi has been protected and remains healthy.

Nomsa feels very strongly that all families should be given the chance to protect their children with a simple vaccine. She feels that her son could have caught an illness like pneumonia if he hadn’t taken part in the trial.

“Our community is not right. The water… the dustbins… living close to one another… if one person suffers from an illness another can quickly become infected.”

If a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine becomes widely available in South Africa, Nomsa would be keen to tell other mothers to have their children vaccinated in order to protect them.

“I advise you to make the vaccine available not only in South Africa but everywhere. Economically it is expensive when your child is sick. You must take him to the clinic… it can cost you money for medicines… in terms of time you are unable to work. I am lucky because I study. But if Mlungisi was unwell I wouldn’t be able to study and I wouldn’t be able to afford the books”.

Read more case studies...

• Fatima Mwadori, Kilifi, Southern Kenya >>
  
• Moussa, Bamako, Mali >>
• Maedo Moloto and daughter, Soweto, South Africa >>
• Nayeem, Bangladesh >>
• Nattakamon Nantasuman, Sa Kaeo, Thailand >>
• Sam Dunstan, London, United Kingdom >>
• Illyria Carranza, Mexico City, Mexico >>
  
• Juancito, Northern Nicaragua >>

Stories and photographs of the case studies are courtesy of the families and children with permission to PneumoADIP for use in educational and non-commerical purposes only. Reproduction or translation of the case studies, requires explicit, prior authorization in writing. Applications and enquiries should be addressed to pneuadip@jhsph.edu.