30 January 2005	Sunday	19 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 29: Diarrhoea, a largely preventable but yet a major child killer in Pakistan, is further registered to be significantly affecting the ongoing efforts for polio eradication in the country.

John Hopkins University's Prof Neal Halsey, in his presentation on "Recent Developments in Vaccines" at an event titled as Prof Muniruddin Memorial Plenary Talk, on Saturday during the first symposium of the National Health Institute of Child Health, mentioning that Polio has been eradicated from almost all parts of the globe with the exception of six countries, including Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Egypt and Nigeria, said it was necessary to accelerate OPV coverage in these countries.

He said it had been proposed that the countries still reporting with the virus must ensure regular immunization under routine, as well as special campaigns, besides adopting effective strategy to protect children against the fatal disease which also happened to be largely preventable.

He agreed that public motivation and massive awareness was required to convince people about the significance of vaccination, which not only could save lives but also contributed towards quality life.

According to the expert, due and simultaneous attention also ought to be paid towards preparation of an efficient polio eradication plan under which oral polio vaccination could be replaced by intravenous vaccination.

Dr Halsey, with regard to measles observed with deep regret that being preventable through proper and timely vaccination, measles-induced mortality among under-five children remained to be four per cent across the globe, and much higher in the developing countries.

Mentioning that measles vaccine coverage rates in Pakistan was 63 per cent and under-one children were mostly vaccinated against the disease, the speaker submitted that keeping in view the epidemiology of the disease, anti-measles vaccine be also administered to all children at the age of 15 years.

Strong immunization offers second opportunity to ensure quality life for children, Dr Halsey observed, calling upon all paediatricians and doctors to catch up vaccine-preventable and controllable diseases, adding that stringent surveillance and efficient care approach was essentially needed.

He also referred to vaccine history of Rubella, Hepatitis, Typhoid and several other child diseases, mentioning that anti-malarial vaccine was under trial.-APP