Firm seeks post-COVID-19 catch-up against vaccine-preventable diseases

As the world marks this year’s World Immunisation Week, global leaders have been urged to mobilise support for continued immunisation against vaccine-preventable diseases across the world, and particularly in low- and middle-income nations including Nigeria.

This year’s edition of the global event is coming after the world has heaved a sigh of relief from the rampaging coronavirus pandemic, which disrupted routine immunisation programmes across countries of the world.

Vaccine maker giant, Pfizer, made this call in a statement issued as part of activities to mark the annual event, saying “after over two years of immunisation backsliding caused by COVID-19 pandemic disruptions, we must catch up, restore and strengthen immunisation services to reach the millions of people missing out on the life-saving benefits of vaccines and stop outbreaks from accelerating.”

About World Immunisation Week

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Immunisation Week is celebrated annually in the last week of April and this year’s event which kicked off on 24 April, will run through 30 April.

Themed: “The Big Catch-Up”, WHO said it is “working with partners to accelerate rapid progress in countries to get back on track to ensure more people, particularly children, are protected from preventable diseases.”

“2023 is our global opportunity to catch-up on lost progress in essential immunisation. We need to reach the millions of children who missed out on vaccines, restore essential immunisation coverage to at least 2019 levels, strengthen primary health care to deliver immunisation and build lasting protection in communities and countries.”

Pfizer’s interventions

In its message to the world, the vaccine maker said there is heightened concern and apprehension around the status of vaccination programmes around the world, and that it is not time to drop the ball.

Speaking on its long history of war against preventable diseases, the company’s Medical Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Kodjo Soroh, said: “At Pfizer, we have a long history in vaccine research and development, including a pivotal role in the eradication of polio and smallpox. Through the development of innovative delivery systems and technologies (the term often used is “novel vaccines”), we’ve created innovations for preventing deadly bacterial infections.”

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“Vaccines underpin our global health security by preventing and controlling over 30 infectious diseases, reducing unnecessary hospitalisations and controlling infectious disease outbreaks. We should not forget that they are one of the world’s most powerful and cost-effective public health tools available and have successfully helped to eradicate, eliminate, and manage many deadly infectious diseases. Smallpox has been eradicated and polio is nearly gone. Cervical cancer could become the first cancer to be eliminated.”

The director said though the global vaccination coverage figures are looking up, “but they still mask huge inequalities that we cannot afford to ignore. To help protect as many people as possible from life-threatening illness, we’re working to develop and distribute vaccines throughout the world. We’ve already seen that by channeling resources to the most promising public health opportunities, we can have an impact across all areas of life.”

The official said vaccines play a critical role in combating antimicrobial resistance, noting that they can reduce antibiotic use by preventing bacterial infections in the first place, “such as with the pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines, and can also prevent viral infections such as flu, which can provoke secondary infections requiring antibiotics.”

Caution

The company said it believes that more than at any time in history, people all over the world are now benefiting from safe and effective vaccines to prevent infections and diseases. “These injections have protected people of all ages, from newborns to seniors.”

“However, our work is not done. Many viruses and bacteria still present a serious health risk, and so we continue to focus on research and development in new areas, with the goal of adding more approved vaccines to tackle pathogens,” the official added.