LAHORE: Routine vaccination of infants in Pakistan and other South Asian countries against the Hib bacteria could save thousands of children‘s lives, according to a study published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
The Hib bacteria cause deadly pneumonia and meningitis, two leading causes of death in the South Asian children under 5.
“Now that this study has confirmed that Hib is a major killer, it is time for the South Asian governments to move quickly to adopt a promising Hib vaccine that has the potential to save millions of lives,” said Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, the chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Aga Khan University in Karachi. “In South Asia, the Hib vaccine could prove highly effective in preventing deadly pneumonia and reducing the impact of bacterial meningitis, which, if untreated, can lead to death or permanent disabilities in young children.”
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