Rightways: national immunisation programme

Showing posts with label national immunisation programme. Show all posts

Monday, November 25, 2024

JAB AGAINST PNEUMONIA, TIME FOR ANOTHER VAX DRIVE

Stay covered: It’s suggested that a broader respiratory health strategy is needed, including promoting pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and ensuring early diagnosis and treatment of respiratory infections.

There is a rise in deaths related to pneumonia, which is a highly avoidable disease. It has surpassed heart disease to become Malaysia’s leading cause of death in 2023. Health experts recommend pneumococcal vaccinations for adults and high-risk groups.

Ageing population calls for focus on adult pneumonia, say docs

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia should introduce pneumococcal vaccines for adults and high-risk groups following the steady rise in pneumonia-related deaths, say health experts.

While pneumococcal vaccination is already part of the National Immunisation Programme for children, they said there is no such programme yet for adults, the elderly, and those with chronic conditions.

Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia president Dr Shanmuganathan Ganeson said Malaysia should integrate this vaccine as it has great public health benefits.

“Many countries have successfully reduced pneumonia-related morbidity and mortality by integrating pneumococcal vaccines. Malaysia should follow suit.

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“It will help reduce hospital admissions by preventing severe pneumonia and invasive diseases, decrease healthcare costs by minimising complications and intensive care needs, and promote herd immunity by lowering bacterial transmission to protect unvaccinated individuals.

“Cost-effectiveness studies in other nations suggest that national-level vaccinations could have a long-term economic benefit alongside improved health outcomes,” he said in an interview yesterday.

Calling pneumonia a “highly avoidable disease”, Dr Shanmuganathan noted a rise in pneumonia-related deaths, particularly in 2021, due to Covid-19.

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“Even after recovery, some individuals experienced secondary bacterial infections, further increasing pneumonia risks,” he added.

He pointed out that strained healthcare capacity also delayed treatment for other respiratory conditions.

At the same time, an ageing population and prevalent non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease heightened pneumonia risks.

“The rise of antibiotic-resistant strains like Streptococcus pneumoniae has complicated treatment.

“Also, the lack of widespread adoption of the pneumococcal vaccine, especially among high-risk groups, leaves a significant portion of the population vulnerable,” he said.

Dr Shanmuganathan said the pneumococcal vaccine effectively reduces the risk of severe pneumococcal disease.

He added that the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) can prevent up to 80% of invasive diseases in children.

“For the elderly and high-risk groups, the vaccine significantly lowers the risk of complications and death.

“Its efficacy varies depending on the individual health status and the vaccine type – either the PCV or the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV).

“Importantly, it offers protection against antibiotic-resistant strains of pneumococcus, addressing a growing concern.

“Malaysians, especially high-risk groups, should get the pneumococcal vaccine available in hospitals and clinics.

“This includes children under two, adults over 65, those with chronic diseases and the immunocompromised,” he said, adding that increasing the awareness of the benefits of the vaccine and its availability at most clinics is important.

With pneumonia now the leading cause of death, Dr Shanmuganathan said it is essential to update the Covid-19 vaccination programme, focusing on new variants like XEC and vulnerable populations.

He emphasised that a broader respiratory health strategy is needed, including promoting pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and ensuring early diagnosis and treatment of respiratory infections.

“Private general practitioners should be kept informed of these developments.

“The Health Ministry must remain proactive, despite diverting staff to address the doctor shortage in clinical sectors,” he said.

Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said while Covid-19 infections may have been reduced, influenza cases are rising, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) becoming more recognised as a significant infection.

As such, he said the government should consider including pneumococcal vaccines in Malaysia’s national vaccination programme.

The vaccines, he added, should also be made readily available at private medical facilities and selected clinics.

“Such a programme should be introduced as it would help reduce morbidity and mortality, especially in the high-risk population.

“Vaccines should be made widely available to reduce the cost and burden of treating illnesses,” he said.

Dr Kuljit suggested that those in the high-risk group consider getting vaccinated to better protect themselves against pneumonia.

He said private medical centres are currently using the latest vaccine, Vaxneuvance, which helps protect against 15 types of pneumococcus.

The cost of pneumococcal vaccines ranges between RM280 and RM400, depending on the type used.

When asked, Dr Kuljit said the steady rise in pneumonia-related deaths in the past decade could be from the large number of high-risk populations due to the nation’s ageing population and those suffering from non-communicable diseases, which result in compromised immune systems.

He also said the increase in cigarette and e-cigarette smoking could also be a factor in the rise of such cases.

Smoking damages the cilia (tiny hair-like structures) in the respiratory tract that help clear pathogens and debris.

“This dysfunction can lead to a higher risk of respiratory infections, including pneumonia,” he said.

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Saturday, February 27, 2021

MySejahtera for the Covid-19 vaccination registration to get immunised

Malaysians weigh in: Some find registering for immunisation on MySejahtera easy while others say the app could be more intuitive and user-friendly.

How To Register For COVID-19 Vaccination On MySejahtera!

How To Register Your Family For FREE ...

MySejahtera gets more features, improves vaccination registration process

Over a million people have already registered for the Covid-19 vaccine via MySejahtera, and the app will include new features to become the one-stop centre for the national immunisation programme.

It will also cater to those who do not have smartphones and thus cannot instal the app.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had earlier said that the registration process for dependants will be rolled out in mid-March.

“The facility will enable children to register their parents who do not have MySejahtera,” he told a previous press conference.

Meanwhile, those who are selected to receive the jab in the second and third phases will be notified by the app of the date and location of their vaccination appointments, according to MySejahtera’s Helpdesk.

The handbook on the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme added that the monitoring of side effects after vaccination can also be done via MySejahtera.

“The monitoring of side effects and adverse effects following immunisation (AEFI) will be carried out through enhanced surveillance, where vaccine recipients will receive a scheduled notification or reminder through the MySejahtera app so they can report any AEFI experience,” the handbook noted.

The app, which has been instrumental in containing Covid-19 outbreaks with its contact tracing feature, will continue to play a vital part in the country’s battle against the pandemic by now supporting users in the vaccination programme.

Khairy said that over one million people registered for the vaccine via the app within four days of the vaccination registration feature being made available on Feb 23.

“More frontliners are receiving their jabs. It’s safe, it’s effective.

“Let’s end the pandemic. Take the vaccine. Register today,” he tweeted.

According to the MySejahtera Helpdesk, non-frontliners have to activate push notifications to be informed when the next phase of vaccinations begins.

If users are selected for the vaccination, they will receive a push notification through the app that they have to click on to answer the screening question.

Most Malaysians have described the registration process as easy and fuss-free, though some have indicated that clearer instructions would have made the experience even better.

Retired civil servant Alexander Ananda Jothy said the registration was straightforward and that he was waiting to be able to register his wife, whom he listed as a dependant on the app.

“She doesn’t have the app downloaded in her name on the phone, so she can’t register for the vaccine independently.

“By allowing vaccine registration for dependants to take place on the MySejahtera app, it would be more convenient for those without phones,” he said, adding that a few of his neighbours have also brought up this issue.

Photographer Sia Hong Kiau, 52, said that she was able to register her husband, who is from Myanmar with permanent resident status in Malaysia.

“It was an easy process. I helped him key in his details and he was successful in registering his interest in getting vaccinated,” she said.

Church worker Danielle Cheng, 27, said the process was simple but certain instructions could be better presented so that it would be more intuitive and user-friendly.

“For instance, after I clicked on the vaccination icon, there were a few options on the screen but it did not clearly state that I need to click the first one in order to register.

“There was a bit of fumbling around and clicking on different buttons to see what would happen.

“I was then directed to a page that said I would be notified when phase 2 starts, but which also told me to click on the link to provide additional details.

“So I was not sure if I was already registered at that point or if I needed to provide more details in order to be registered,” she said.

Brian Chung concurred, adding that while it was a fairly straightforward process, there were some parts that caused slight confusion.

“I would appreciate it if they had clear notifications that I could register my interest or to inform me what my next steps are,” he said.

Gilbert Tang, 64, said he signed up for the vaccine on MySejahtera because he was in the high risk group and was concerned about his well-being.

“My dad died of pneumonia back in 2015 and our family has a history of heart ailments.

“I had a bad experience when I was with my father during his last days when he was struggling to breathe through an oxygen mask.

“After experiencing this, I decided that I would sign up and take the vaccine as I do not want to suffer like my father did,” he said.