Vietnam Hosts Symposia on Pneumococcal Vaccine, Prevalence
Pfizer Vietnam, the Vietnam Medical Association, the Vietnam Pediatric Association, and the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital organized a series of symposia on pneumococcal serotypes and vaccines in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The event drew 100 experts and over 1,800 healthcare professionals, both in-person and online.
The symposia provided a platform for experts to discuss pneumococcal diseases, local serotype prevalence, and prevention strategies. This initiative aims to improve management and control of pneumococcal diseases in Vietnamese children.
Addressing the event, Mr. Tran Minh Dien, director of the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital, emphasized the importance of early vaccination to prevent severe diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis caused by pneumococcus.
Ms. Bach Thi Chinh from the VNVC vaccination system noted that weather fluctuations can weaken children's immune systems, making them more susceptible to pneumococcal infections. She highlighted the high mortality rates for pneumococcal pneumonia in Vietnam and the effectiveness of available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.
The World Health Organization (WHO) data showed that pneumococcal diseases cause approximately one million child deaths globally each year. In Vietnam, pneumonia, the leading cause of death in children under five, results in approximately 4,000 child deaths annually.