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STOLE: The free pneumococcal vaccination under the National Immunization Program for children begins today simultaneously in the health clinics of the Ministry of Health (MINSA) nationwide, which will benefit 500,000 children each year.
Minister Datuk Seri, Dr. Adham Baba, said that children born on or after January 1, 2020 are eligible for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) to be given in three doses, the two primary doses at the age of four months. and six months, and the PCV booster at 15 months.
However, the pneumococcal vaccination schedule would be adjusted for children whose vaccinations were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic this year.
“Administration of the pneumococcal vaccine is the most effective method to prevent pneumococcal bacterial infection and indirectly reduces resistance to antibiotics. This vaccine is also safe and effective.
“Vaccination is vital and quite timely after the number of cases of children with pneumococcal disease increased from 17,446 in 2017 to 19,773 last year,” he said after launching the National Infant Pneumococcal Immunization Program at a health clinic here , today.
Also present were the director of disease control of the Ministry of Health, Datuk Dr. Norhayati Rusli, the president of the state committee for Works, Transportation and Health Datuk Seri Norol Azali Sulaiman and the director of health of Pahang, Datuk Dr. Bahari Che Awang Ngah.
The vaccine is intended to prevent bacterial infections of Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus, which can cause diseases such as pneumonia, sinusitis, middle ear infection (otitis media), meningitis, and bacterial infections in the blood (septicemia).
Complications of pneumococcal disease include hearing impairment, brain deformity, and death. Children five years of age or younger are at the highest risk of becoming infected and experiencing complications from this disease. In addition to reducing the rate of morbidity and mortality from related diseases, vaccination can also reduce the costs of treatment, ”he said.
Dr Adham also said that the Ministry of Health always ensures that the vaccine used is effective and safe, but parents are urged to report the side effects of the vaccine, if any, to the health personnel or through the website npra.gov.my.
The Health Ministry will also deploy Orang Asli’s mobile team, mobile bus services, mobile boats and air doctor services to administer vaccination to children in rural areas, he added. -Called
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