The Disabled Children Association in Jeddah, offers Saudi parents an opportunity to vaccinate children against potentially disabling pneumococcal disease

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 10th June 2007 -- Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Bint Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud announced today an effort to educate Saudi parents about the importance of immunizing infants and young children against potentially debilitating, and sometimes fatal, vaccine-preventable diseases.  As part of this program, from 9-11 June 2007, healthy younger siblings (6 weeks to 2 years of age) of children who attend the LASTA WAHDAK CHILD DISABILITY CENTER, will be eligible to receive free vaccinations to help protect against pneumococcal disease -- a potentially-life threatening disease that can result in disabilities such as hearing loss, mental retardation and paralysis.1,2

"I believe there is no better legacy we can leave our children than immunity from diseases that can be prevented by available vaccines," says HRH Princess Alia Bint Abdullah Al Saud.  "Vaccination is one of the most effective ways of improving the overall health of Saudi infants and young children, and as parents, we must recognise that we have a responsibility to help protect our children against potentially devastating and disabling diseases."

Considered to be among the greatest public health success stories in history, vaccines have resulted in the global eradication of smallpox, the disappearance of measles and polio from parts of the world, and substantial reductions in death and illness attributed to diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.3,4  However, more than two million children younger than 5 years of age still die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide.4

In support of HRH Princess Alia Bint Abdullah Al Saud's effort to raise awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has  donated its vaccine PREVENARTM (Pneumococcal Saccharide Conjugated Vaccine, Adsorbed) for children participating in the free vaccination program at the Disabled Children Association in Jeddah to help protect them against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that pneumococcal disease, which also can cause less serious, noninvasive conditions such as middle ear infection, results in up to 1 million deaths each year in young children around the world.5  Pneumococcal disease remains the number one vaccine-preventable cause of death in children younger than 5 years of age worldwide.4  According to Saudi Arabian MOH data, the incidence of Pneumococcal Meningitis, is estimated to be 6.6 / 100,000 patient population in children below the age of 5 years, which translates to at least 185 cases of pneumococcal meningitis every year, in that age group.

HRH Princess Alia Bint Abdullah Al Saud concludes: "With the dramatic advancement in the provision of healthcare in the Kingdom, we believe that through awareness-building, education and community mobilisation, we will reach a stage where our children are better protected against potentially fatal diseases."

-Ends-

About PREVENAR
PREVENAR is the first and only pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to help provide protection for infants and toddlers against pneumococcal disease caused by the seven serotypes of S. pneumoniae contained in the vaccine.6  As a conjugate vaccine, PREVENAR helps provide protection that was previously unavailable to infants and toddlers by stimulating the immune system and helping to induce immunologic memory.6  

In clinical trials (n=18,168), the most frequently reported adverse events included injection site reactions, fever (?38°C/100.4°F), irritability, drowsiness, restless sleep, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and rash.

Risks are associated with all vaccines, including PREVENAR.  Hypersensitivity to any vaccine component, including diphtheria toxoid, is a contraindication to its use.  PREVENAR does not provide 100 percent protection against vaccine serotypes or protect against non-vaccine serotypes. 

About Pneumococcal Disease
Pneumococcal disease describes a group of illnesses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus.  After pneumococcus colonizes the upper respiratory tract, it can then cause several different types of disease.7  One type of disease is invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), in which S. pneumoniae is isolated from the blood or another normally sterile site.7  Invasive pneumococcal diseases include bacteremia/sepsis (bacterial infection of the blood), meningitis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord and brain), and bacteremic pneumonia (inflammation of the lung) with pneumococcus in the bloodstream.7,8,9  The spread of pneumococcus from the nasopharynx to the upper and lower respiratory tract can result in noninvasive pneumococcal diseases, including bacterial pneumonia without infection of the blood, acute otitis media (AOM, inflammation of the middle ear) and sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses).7,8,9   

For Media Information:
Walid El Shahed, Senior Consultant
Impact Porter Novelli
Tele: +966 1 465 3550 ext: 128
Mobile: + 966 506427005
w.elshahed@ipnsaudia.com

© Press Release 2007