'Immunisation widely recognised as one of most successful health interventions'

Pfizer's Medical Director for Nigeria, East Africa Region Kodjo Soroh

Vaccines are said to have significantly reduced the threat of diseases that were once widespread and sometimes fatal. 

Today, more people benefit from safe and efficacious vaccines than ever before - and the list of diseases that vaccines can help prevent continues to grow, the bio-pharmaceutical company Pfizer said. 

The WHO and partners are marking World Meningitis Day on April 24 and World Immunisation Week (24-30 April).

“Immunization is widely recognized as one of the most successful and cost effective health interventions," Pfizer's Medical Director for Nigeria, East Africa Region Kodjo Soroh said.  

Soroh said Pfizer's goal is to protect lives with innovative vaccines to fight serious diseases worldwide and make vaccination against potentially deadly diseases available”

He said "let’s be aware about the critical importance of immunization bearing in mind that vaccination is a key strategy to containing Meningococcal meningitis, ensuring continued protection for the current and future generation while taking into consideration the current outbreak of Meningitis in the region."

Very serious

According to Pfizer, meningitis disease is an infection of the meninges, the membrane covering the brain. 

It said in a statement that bacterial meningitis is very serious because its onset is rapid and the infection is associated with a significant risk of death; it may also result in mental retardation, deafness, and epilepsy.

"It can be treated with appropriate antibiotics that also prevents spread Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial form of meningitis, a serious infection of the meninges that affects the brain membrane," the pharmaceutical company stated. "It  is fatal in 50% of cases if untreated."

Meningococcal bacteria are transmitted from person-to-person through droplets from the nose and throat of carriers. Close and prolonged contact with a carrier of meningitis facilitates the spread of the disease.

Margaret Olele, director corporate affairs Pfizer, said “we encourage individuals, families and communities to learn the signs and symptoms of meningitis, the importance of urgent treatment of the disease, and that prevention is available through vaccination against some forms of meningitis.” 

Olele said Pfizer will continue to deliver on its commitments to colleagues and customers, protecting lives with innovative vaccines to fight serious diseases worldwide.  

"We are leveraging leading technology in vaccine design and conjugation in an effort to provide preventative solutions to these complex, difficult-to-treat bacterial pathogens," she said.

By TNBES

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