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Immunization saves 3m lives every year: Ghaffar
Nasir Mahmood
Karachi—Use of vaccines had resulted in eradication of small pox,
elimination of poliomyelitis from most of the industrialized
countries, and control of measles, diphtheria, rubella, Hib, tetanus
and other disease in many parts of the world. Vaccines are one of
the public health greatest successes and immunization is one of the
most cost effective health interventions in existence.
Professor Ghaffar Billo, Head of the Pediatrics Department, Aga Khan
University Hospital, Karachi, said this while addressing the 9th
session of the National CME Series at Liaquat National Hospital (LNH)
Auditorium. The series is being conducted under the Clinical
Excellence and Leadership Program (CELP) of Macter International. Dr
Billo, emphasizing the importance of vaccination, termed vaccines as
an essential right of every child irrespective of origin and
socio-economic factors.
The speaker was of the view that considerable progress in
immunization had done much to prevent mortality in young children.
Almost 3 million lives have been saved each year and 750 000
children are saved from disability. He informed that out of 130
million children born each year, almost 30 million children have no
access to immunization. One in four children in the world remains
without immunization against the six diseases i.e. measles, polio,
pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus and tuberculosis.
Dr Billo highlighted the role of Global Alliance for Vaccines and
Immunization (GAVI) and informed that it was an international
coalition of partners that included governments, international
organizations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank;
philanthropic institutions, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates
Children’s Vaccine Program and the Rockefeller Foundation.
By choosing not to vaccinate, one takes on the risk of disease.
Children unvaccinated against measles are 35 times more likely than
immunized children to catch the disease. Vaccines for dengue, E.Coli,
Group A Streptococcus, malaria, respiratory syncytial virus, SARS,
Shigella and West Nile fever are expected to be licensed in
2010-2015. Informing about the anticipated immunization supportive
technologies, he stated that Thermostable vaccines, Jet Injectors
(needle-free delivery), vaccine aerosols, vaccine nasal sprays and
vaccine patches are expected to be available by 2015.
Dr Sobia Qamar, in her presentation on diarrhea, stated that 15
percent deaths in children fewer than five years of age were due to
diarrhea and Rotavirus was the single most common organism which is
responsible for 40 percent cases of diarrhea. Unconsciousness,
convulsions, lethargy, vomiting and inability to drink or breastfeed
are the danger signs in diarrhea. She advised that the food that
should be given to the children in diarrhea include milk mixed with
cereals, yogurt, vegetable oil and cereal based ORS; while lactose
free milk should be used in persistent diarrhea.
Dr Sadia Tabassum, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology (LNH),
speaking about common skin infection stated that these are acquired
by close contact, sharing of clothes and shoes, handshake, swimming
pools, soil, animals etc.
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