ASAP welcomes the Hong Kong Governments commitment to include the pneumococcal vaccine into the Childhood Immunisation Programme

Hong Kong, (ANTARA News/Medianet International-AsiaNet) -- The Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal disease prevention (ASAP) is encouraged by the Hong Kong governments recent announcement to include the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine into the Childhood Immunisation Programme.

Professor Lulu Bravo, Chairperson of ASAP said, On behalf of families with young children, the Hong Kong government has taken a significant step forward in helping to protect children from pneumococcal disease through routine vaccination. We eagerly await details of the governments plans to implement the pneumococcal immunisation programme.

The Hong Kong government has indicated that the programme is expected to start by September of 2009. Each day that countries across Asia Pacific delay the introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine, children are at risk of contracting this potentially debilitating and fatal disease, said Professor Bravo.

The Governments announcement of the inclusion of pneumococcal vaccine in their childhood immunisation programme brings Hong Kong in line with Australia and New Zealand as the leading countries in Asia Pacific to have acted upon the World Health Organisations recommendation to implement a childhood immunisation programme for pneumococcal disease.

Other Asia Pacific countries/regions have evidence to support a national immunisation programme and we hope they will emulate the Hong Kong example to address the significant burden of pneumococcal disease.

Professor Bravo emphasised that by routinely vaccinating our children against pneumococcal disease, we not only protect these children but in addition, have the ability to help protect the broader community unvaccinated children, parents and grandparents through a process of herd protection.

Media enquiries and interview requests: ASAP Secretariat Lisa Sullivan In Vivo Communications (Asia) Pte Ltd 103 Beach Road #06-01/02 Premier Centre Singapore 189704 Email: ASAP@invivocom.com Phone: +65 8233 4542

Background on Pneumococcal Disease (PD) Pneumococcal disease (which includes meningitis, pneumonia, bacteremia, and acute otitis media) is estimated to result in up to 1 million deaths each year in children, most of whom are in developing countries. In fact, given the significant burden of pneumococcal disease and demonstrated vaccine efficacy, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the priority inclusion of PCV7 in national childhood immunisation programs worldwide.2;3.

About Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal Disease Prevention

Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal disease prevention (ASAP) ASAP was launched on December 14, 2007, and is the first and only group of healthcare professionals in this region formed to specifically focus resources on PD in Asia Pacific. It is the only Asian group to join the growing number of experts from international organizations like the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in the collective effort to raise awareness of infectious diseases like PD and its prevention. ASAP is affiliated with the global Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE) and the Asian Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ASPID). It also collaborates with other public health and pediatric groups to achieve its mission of containing and controlling pneumococcal disease in the Asia Pacific region through awareness, surveillance, advocacy and prevention.

[1] World Health Organisation. Pneumococcal vaccines. Wkly Epidemiol Record 2003;14:110119. Available at: http://www.who.int/wer/2003/en/wer7814.pdf. Accessed July 20, 2006.

[2] World Health Organisation. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for childhood immunization, March 2007- WHO position paper. Wkly Epidemiol Record 2007;12: 93-104.

[3] World Health Organisation. Meeting of the Immunization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts, November 2006- Conclusions and Recommendations. Wkly Epidemiol Record 2007; 1/2:1-16.

SOURCE: Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal Disease Prevention