In a statement issued to commemorate World Immunisation Week, on Monday, paediatricians remarked, “Vaccines are the most affordable solution when it comes to preventing certain health hazards like polio, measles, whooping cough, diarrhoea and pneumonia.”
Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) President, Professor Gohar Rehman, also the Paediatrics HOD of Hayatabad Medical Complex asserted, “Vaccines prevent six million deaths worldwide every year.”
“An estimated 19.5 million infants worldwide are still missing out on basic vaccines. If the optimum rates of immunisation or “herd immunity” are not maintained, the diseases prevented by vaccination will return,” he added.
PPA President further noted, “It is very unfortunate that children dying because of vaccine-preventable diseases in Pakistan, despite the fact that Government of Pakistan is providing free vaccines under Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).”
At present, EPI was said to provide vaccines for children aged 0-11 months against ten diseases: Childhood Tuberculosis, Polio, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Diarrhea, Hepatitis B, Haemophilus Influenza Type b (HIB), Pneumonia, Measles and Tetanus.
He stressed that all stakeholders, including media, would have to play the role to raise awareness and ensure that children are being vaccinated.
Prof Rehman highlighted, “Recent speculative reports on rumours regarding polio vaccine in Peshawar is very unfortunate. Vaccines are completely safe and proper cold chains are maintained to ensure the safety and efficacy of vaccines.”
‘Vaccines prevent six million deaths worldwide every year’: PPA President
Meanwhile, Shifa International Hospital Paediatrics Chief, Dr Ejaz A Khan, said that immunisation was one of the greatest medical advances as it prevented illness, disability and death from vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide, including Pakistan.
He added, “In Pakistan, Rotavirus leads to one out of three infant hospitalizations.”
“As a large proportion of children get infected with Rotavirus by their fifth birthday, the government’s decision to include RV vaccine in EPI is commendable,” Dr Khan maintained.
Similarly, he noted, “Measles is a highly contagious disease resulting in high fever, rash and can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis or death.
“Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes liver diseases. Pneumococcal meningitis is the most common form of meningitis and the most serious form of bacterial meningitis.”
He further noted, “Young children – as young as a few months old and up to the age of two, are at the highest risk of pneumococcal meningitis. Vaccines are thus valuable as it is a great armamentarium for fighting against these deadly diseases in children.”
Shifa Hospital Chief reasoned vaccination could also decrease the occurrence of antibiotic resistance.
“Vaccines can prevent numerous diseases which needed to be treated with antibiotics thus reducing the usage of some antibiotics,” he concluded.