Vaccines are the most effective way to protect us and our children from life-threatening illnesses. It is with this in mind that the Ministry of Health (MoH) marks the Regional Immunisation Week 2016, which is held on April 24-30, with the theme 'Vaccination is everyone's job, protect your community. Immunise all throughout life'.

Diseases, which can be prevented through vaccination, continue to pose a threat to the health of individuals, families and communities in the country. Measles can lead to pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and death. Mumps can lead to deafness and meningitis.

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Dr. Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, the Minister of Health, in a press release said, "Unvaccinated children are 23 times more likely to get whooping cough (pertussis) compared to fully immunised children."

"Alhamdulillah, MoH has strong immunisation programmes available against various preventable-diseases. These include the National Childhood Immunisation Programme for those aged five years old and below, and the Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Programme in schools. These vaccines are free, safe and will protect your child from harmful diseases."

The Regional Immunisation Week is held to raise awareness of diseases that are preventable through immunisation as well as to encourage individuals, families and communities to get vaccinated.

The theme, the minister said, "is relevant to us in Brunei Darussalam as it supports MoH's three strategic priorities which are to deliver excellent service, to prevent and control non-communicable diseases, and to ensure that health is everyone's business."

"There is no action that an individual can take, that is as clinically effective and as cost-effective as vaccination, to safeguard their own health and wellbeing," he added.

Many vaccinations are administered in early childhood, however, vaccinations still has a role to play throughout all stages of life. Even before the birth of an infant, tetanus and influenza vaccinations are administered to pregnant women to protect both mother and child against diseases. At birth, babies are then given both Hepatitis B and BCG vaccinations.

"Throughout a child's life, they are immunised according to the standardised protocol of the National Immunisation Programme," the minister said. "For the past two decades, the National Immunisation Programme has achieved high annual national immunisation coverage of almost 100 per cent."

He added that Brunei Darussalam, since the implementation of the National Immunisation Programme, has achieved Hepatitis B control in 2013 and measles elimination in 2015 as well as no cases of Polio since 1978.

Despite these significant achievements, the minister has warned that communities should not be complacent. "It is seen in other countries when vaccination rates decline, these diseases can make a return and cause significant illness and even cause death among children."

"Living in a global society, diseases are more easily spread. Vaccine-preventable diseases still proliferate in other countries are just a plane ride away from unprotected children. We must ensure that we continue to protect ourselves and our children," the minister said.

With age, the minister reminded that individuals should continue to protect themselves from other impatant vaccine-preventable diseases such as the Human Papillomavirus which is a significant cause of cervical cancer.

"To protect against the Human Papilloma Virus, the vaccination programme was first introduced in schools in 2012, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, for girls aged 11 to 12 years old. The programme now sees a national coverage of over 90 per cent," said the minister.

Speaking of patients with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes or heart diseases, the minister said, "These patients have a higher risk of getting infections compared to others and if they get infections, their illness tend to be more severe."

"It is therefore important that they get immunised annually with influenza vaccines. These vaccines are available at all health centres and vaccination centre in the country."

It is also important for communities to be vaccinated as diseases tend to spread faster in a community with a high percentage of unvaccinated people. The more people that are vaccinated, the less likely a disease can transfer from person to person.

"This is called 'herd' immunity and this is also why vaccinating ourselves and our child protects not just the individual being vaccinated but also others including those who are too young or unable to be vaccinated. Newborns are too young to be vaccinated and are vulnerable to diseases. It is therefore the responsibility of each and every person to get themselves and their children vaccinated," he said.

"If you are unsure about your vaccination status or concerned about a specific disease, please speak to your doctor or nurse," the minister added.

"MoH needs the continued support and active involvement of everyone in the community - individuals, families and other stakeholders including schools - to be vigilant and to work together to maintain and enhance the coverage of all immunisation across all ages in order to avoid the resurgence of dangerous diseases and the unnecessary illness associated with them as well as to do our part in protecting and promoting a healthy country."

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]