Children's vaccination highlights World Meningitis Day celebration

CEBU, Philippines - Philippines Pediatric Society Cebu Central and Eastern Visayas (PPS CCEV) Chapter together with Sanofi Pasteur celebrated World Meningitis Day 2010 in Cebu City.

The event is being initiated by The Confederation of Meningitis Organizations (CoMO) and The Philippine Foundation for Vaccination

“World Meningitis Day is a day of action to raise awareness on meningitis, since the disease is devastating and deadly. It impacts the lives of hundreds of thousands of families throughout the world. Meningitis causes death or disability to children, young people and adults. Meningitis which is a vaccine preventable disease can attack anyone” said Dr. Jonathan Lim, Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, PPS CCEV chapter.

Dr. Lim reveals that vaccination as one of the easiest ways to protect children from different vaccine preventable diseases like meningitis.

“We could prevent severe complications and even death if we only take some time to have our children vaccinated on schedule.”

The PPS CCEV and sanofi pasteur adopted Little Lamb Center (LLC), an orphanage funded by the Missionaries of the Poor and is home to physically and mentally handicapped children with multiple disorders such as autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.

Children were given free meningococcal vaccines which protect against meningitis and meningococcal disease caused by a Neisseria meningitidis. Tetanus shots were also given to selected adults at the LLC on April 28. The vaccines were provided by sanofi pasteur which also manufactures meningococcal vaccine A+C and meningococcal conjugate vaccine ACYW135.

“As part of our corporate social responsibility, sanofi pasteur fully supports the celebration of the World Meningitis Day,” said Joan Torres from sanofi pasteur. “Everybody is encouraged to participate in this campaign against meningitis.” – THE FREEMAN