Pfizer has called for the maximisation of gains made on immunisation due to the backsliding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pharmaceutical company said this while joining a week-long celebration of World Immunisation Day to mark the importance of diseases prevention in public health.
The theme for the celebration is “The Big Catch-up,” representing a global push to vaccinate millions of children, and return to pre-pandemic vaccination levels.
Pfizer, therefore, finds this year’s celebrations special, as it formed a critical turning point for immunisation.
In a news release, Pfizer says it acknowledged the disruptions caused by the pandemic, and a reason countries 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. Kodjo Soroh, Medical Director of Sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to the discussion, saying: “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.”
He said vaccines underpinned global health security by preventing and controlling over 30 infectious diseases, reducing unnecessary hospitalisations, and controlling infectious disease outbreaks.
Mr. Soroh added that vaccines were one of the world’s most powerful and cost-effective public health tools available to successfully help to eradicate, eliminate, and manage many deadly infectious diseases.
He said, diseases like smallpox have been eradicated, as well as polio which is nearly gone, adding: “Cervical Cancer could become the first cancer to be eliminated.”Mr. Soroh continued that vaccines also played a critical role in combating antimicrobial resistance, as they could reduce antibiotic use by preventing bacterial infections in the first place.
He explained that vaccines such as pneumococcal and meningococcal could prevent viral infections like flu, which could provoke secondary infections requiring antibiotics.According to him: “Today, more than at any time in history people are 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.
”He emphasised that a person was protected when vaccinated, and also avoids spreading preventable diseases to other people in his or her community.”
Some people cannot get certain vaccines because they are too young or too old or they have a weakened immune system or other serious health condition.
Those people are less likely to catch a preventable disease when you and others around them are vaccinated against it.
Help protect yourself and the people you love by staying up to date on recommended vaccinations,” he urged.
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, Pfizer, working to develop and distribute vaccines throughout the world.
