No going back on PCV 13, PAN tells FG

By Victoria Ojeme & Caleb Ayansina
FEDERAL government has been urged to remove all bureaucratic processes that may impede Nigerian children from getting immunised against pneumococcal diseases.

National President of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria, PAN, Dr. Dorothy Esangbedo made the call during a National Pneumococcal Summit in Abuja said recommendations had been made to government to include the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) 13 into the routine immunization scheme to stem the tide of pneumonia.

“I think that Federal government is responding and is thoroughly aware of what is needed to keep our children alive, but it is important that we minimise the bureaucratic path that may occur before this vaccine is introduced,” she said.

Esangbedo who said Nigeria has the second highest burden of pneumococcal deaths in the world insisted that effective and sustained immunization of children under five years of age is not negotiable.

She told NPHCDA to step up awareness about the diseases. “Our people may be illiterate, but not stupid, if the information is delivered appropriately they we understand. The Agency should learn to pass information across the people appropriately for the desire goal to be achieved.

“It is very important that as we administer the vaccine to our children, monitor the affectivity, the efficiency in which we do the job, the impart that the vaccines have on the children and we also

monitor adverse effect that may emanate, we don’t expect any, but we still need to monitor.

Responding, Director General, National Primary Health Care Agency (NPHCDA) Dr. Ado Muhammad said the government would by 2013 introduce  PCV 13, just as it will for the moment fast track the introduction of the pentavalent vaccine, which combines the traditional DPT with

Heamophilus influenza B (Hib) and Hepatitis B vaccines in the country.

He said government would continue to implement and scale up cost effective interventions that are key to pneumonia control as well as other strategies to ensure better health care delivery in the country.

In the view of the Medical Director, Pfizer Specialities Limited, Dr. Kodjo Soroh, the PCV 13 is the most effective vaccine widely accepted against pneumonia.  Soroh maintained that the summit was designed to sensitise stakeholders, government at state, local and national levels to save Nigerian children from the menace of pneumonia.