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Vaccination programme covers more diseases
DUBAI — The UAE has introduced a broader coverage vaccine for pneumococcal disease (PCV-13), to protect children from seriou s upper respiratory diseases, in its National Immunisation Programme (NIP).
The vaccine will be effective for diseases such as meningitis (brain infection), pneumonia (lung infection), Bacteremia and Otitis Media (ear infection) which can cause serious health problems especially in young children (less than five years old). The vaccine also protects the child from diseases such as bronchitis and sinusitis.
During a scientific seminar to introduce the vaccine on Tuesday, a senior Ministry of Health official said the Pneumococcal Conjugated Vaccine was expanded to include 13 serotypes from the existing seven that was already part of the NIP in 2009.
“As newer scientific developments occurred and based on WHO recommendations, the ministry decided to expand the coverage of pneumococcal disease causing serotypes from 7 to 13,” said Dr Mahmoud Fikri, Assistant Undersecretary, Health Policies at the ministry.
In a speech delivered by Dr Salem Al Darmaki, Acting Undersecretary at the ministry, on behalf of the UAE Health Minister Dr Hanif Hassan, said, “In the UAE, we are aware of susceptibility to the devastating effects of infectious diseases. We are dedicated to containing the risks of infectious diseases by taking specific steps to reduce incidence and prevalence rates.”
The vaccine Prevenar-13 developed by Pfizer, is administered free of cost as a single dose at the age of two, four and six months of age at the ministry’s primary healthcare centres. A booster dose is given to the child at the age of 18 months.
Dr Fikri also said that based on World Health Organisation recommendations, the ministry is also considering new vaccines such as for Rotavirus (severe diarrhea), Cervical Cancer, Acellular Tetravalent (Diptheria-Tetaus) and Varicella (Chickenpox).
According to the WHO, at least one million children die of pneumococcal disease every year, most of these being young children in developing countries. Conditions associated with increased risk of serious pneumococcal disease include HIV infection, sickle-cell anaemia and a variety of chronic organ failures. Vaccination is the only available tool to prevent pneumococcal disease.
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