PETALING JAYA: PFIZER Malaysia is teaming up with Malaysian Official Designers Association (Moda) to organise KidStrong, a six-month campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of pneumococcal disease in children under five.
During the launch of the campaign at The School in Jaya One mall last Wednesday, Pfizer Malaysia director of corporate affairs for health and value, Noor Yang Azwar Kamarudin, said: “KidStrong is a campaign to celebrate World Pneumonia Day 2014 together with Moda. Its objective is to increase awareness among the public that children can be protected from pneumococcal disease.”
He said the campaign featured a superhero and highlighted the importance of keeping children strong and healthy to develop to their full potential.
The logo for the campaign is a superhero’s cape, symbolising protection and security.
Eight young Malaysian designers are taking part in a baby cape design competition. The capes will later be featured in a fashion show in April next year during the World Health Organisation’s World Immunisation Month.
“The designers who are taking part in the competition are Lorenzo Peh, Ellie Lim, Yurike Tanjaya and Vincent Hou (SML College), Hariharan Arasu (PJ CAD College), Ava Abdallahi (Lim Kok Wing University), Michelle Soong (Saito College) and Nigel Chia (Raffles College of Higher Education).
“Besides this, KidStrong will be organising a Design The Cape, Protect A Kid engagement programme with healthcare professionals, design schools and the public.
The public can visit www.pfizer.com.my to download the entry design form and submit their designs.
“Every entry form is counted as a pledge and Pfizer will be making a donation of RM5 for every pledge received to charitable organisations which provide access to pneumococcal disease prevention,” she said.
“We lose more than one million children globally to pneumonia each year.
“Pneumonia and pneumococcal disease are preventable through the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV).
Pfizer Malaysia had invited founding member of Asia Strategic Alliance for the Prevention Of Pneumococcal Disease, Datuk Dr Musa Nordin, to speak at the launch.
“Pneumococcal disease is complex and describes a group of illnesses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae),” he said.
“There are more than 90 known strains of S. pneumoniae, but only a small subset of these causes the majority of pneumococcal diseases worldwide. The bacteria causes invasive infections which include bacteremia/sepsis (bacterial infections of the blood) and meningitis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord or brain).
“S. pneumoniae also causes noninvasive pneumococcal diseases including pneumonia and otitis media (middle ear infection).
“Invasive pneumococcal disease can be a very serious illness in young children with meningitis being the most severe type of pneumococcal disease.
“About five per cent of children younger than 5 with pneumococcal meningitis will die from the infection or they may have long-term problems such as blindness or hearing loss,” he said.
“Pneumococcal disease affects both children and adults. Individuals who carry S. pneumoniae in their nasal passages may potentially expose others to the risk of pneumococcal disease through close contact via respiratory droplets that are sneezed, coughed or exhaled. Not all individuals who are exposed to S. pneumoniae will become ill.
“The high-risk age group include children younger than 5, while those aged 2 years or younger have an increased risk of disease. In addition, absence of breastfeeding, exposure to cigarette smoke, daycare attendance and lack of immunisation with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine will further increase the risk of disease.”
“Older adults, aged between 55 and 65, are also more at risk of the disease. Symptoms of meningitis include headaches, vomiting, seizures, fever and in severe cases, coma, while the symptom of otitis media is swelling of the eardrums which leads to earaches, sleeplessness, fever and irritability.
“Pneumococcal disease can also cause pneumonia or lung infection. Symptoms include abrupt fever, shivering, chest pains and shortness of breath. Pneumococcal disease is also a cause of bacteraemia or blood infection.
“This is a serious illness that refers to the presence of bacteria in the blood stream. Symptoms of blood infection are fever, irritability and rapid breathing.
“The best prevention against pneumococcal disease is vaccination. The most recent pneumococcal vaccine is the conjugate vaccine.”
Also present at the launch was Moda president Gillian Hung and Super Cape Kid, the face of the campaign. For details, visit www.pfizer.com.my
