Sanofi hosts virtual Pediatric Vaccine Conference to highlight range vaccine-preventable diseases

Karachi: International disease experts as well as key opinion leaders of Pakistan’s medical community addressed the third Pediatric Vaccine Conference (PVC 2020), hosted virtually by Sanofi Pakistan. Topics discussed in the conference ranged from possible increase in polio cases in Pakistan to Meningitis and reasons for low vaccine coverage in the country.

Over 150 healthcare professionals joined the conference from all over Pakistan. Prof. Tahir Masood Ahmad (Professor Emeritus, The Children’s Hospital, Lahore) moderated the event as Chairman of the conference. Dr. Ali Faisal Saleem (Asst. Professor, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi), Prof. Sajid Maqbool, (Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at Institute of Child) and Prof. Haroon Hamid (Chairman & Professor of Pediatrics King Edward Medical University & Mayo Hospital Lahore) attended PVC 2020 as National Speakers.

Dr. Ali Faisal Saleem discussed the issues behind vaccine refusal and delay in vaccine acceptance, low Vaccination Coverage Rate (VCR) in Pakistan (both pre and post COVID 19) and the need for the development of strategies, including the importance of liaison between stakeholders and targeting actual issues behind low VCR.

Prof. Sajid Maqbool shared the burden of bacterial meningitis in Pakistan. He shared data from the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) which reflects annual fatality rate of 23,000 to 25,000 in children due to bacterial meningitis in Pakistan. Prof. Maqbool further added that there is a high risk of neurological disabilities and rapid progression to death in children under 1 year due to Meningococcal disease.***