More than 1,000 healthcare professionals from Vietnam and abroad gathered at recent symposia focused on pneumococcal disease prevention in adults. The events provided a platform to share updated scientific data, discuss the disease burden in adults over 50 and those with chronic illnesses, and introduce a new multi-serotype pneumococcal conjugate vaccine designed to enhance prevention efforts.
In Vietnam, pneumococcal infection is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia, which remains the most common infectious disease and a major cause of death nationwide. Besides pneumonia, pneumococcal bacteria can cause serious invasive infections such as meningitis and bacteremia. These conditions carry a high fatality rate, sometimes reaching 40%, and also cause widespread illnesses like ear infections.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cao Huu Nghia, head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, highlighted the threat posed by pneumococcus. He explained that over 100 serotypes exist, and between 5% and 90% of healthy people may carry the bacteria in their upper respiratory tract. When the immune system weakens due to aging or chronic conditions like kidney disease, diabetes, or COPD, vulnerability to infection increases. Pneumococcal disease often progresses rapidly, posing serious health risks and significant financial strain on patients and the healthcare system.
Globally, pneumococcus causes an estimated 14.5 million severe cases and approximately 826,000 deaths annually. In Vietnam, the aging population and the rise of chronic diseases among younger groups expand the pool of at-risk individuals. Meanwhile, invasive pneumococcal serotypes remain in circulation. Antibiotic resistance is also reducing treatment effectiveness, prolonging recovery times, and increasing medical costs.
Experts warn that pneumococcal disease remains a critical public health challenge. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Khac Bao, vice director of the University Medical Centre Ho Chi Minh City, stressed the need for stronger prevention strategies. He noted that despite available measures, the disease burden is rising due to a growing vulnerable population and serotypes not covered by current vaccines. Dr. Le advocated for updated control strategies, including new conjugate vaccines that protect against both existing and emerging serotypes. These efforts, he said, are essential to protect public health, ease healthcare pressures, and improve quality of life.
The World Health Organization recently added Streptococcus pneumoniae to its Bacterial Priority Pathogens List, highlighting the need for targeted prevention among high-risk groups. Dr. Mark Fletcher, senior director at Pfizer Vaccines Research and Development for emerging markets, emphasized that successful prevention includes ongoing epidemiological surveillance, public awareness campaigns, management of chronic diseases, and vaccination. He pointed out that vaccination brings both health and economic benefits.
Currently, five pneumococcal vaccines are approved for use in Vietnam. Four of these use conjugate technology, which helps create lasting immunity and reduces bacterial carriage, supporting herd immunity.
At the symposia, Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan, president of the Vietnam Association of Preventive Medicine, underlined the urgency of vaccination in Vietnam’s rapidly aging population. He said vaccination is key to reducing deaths from community-acquired pneumonia, especially in people with pre-existing conditions. Prof. Lan added that preventive strategies are continually updated with new medical advances and international experiences, especially through broad-spectrum vaccines with proven safety and efficacy. Increasing vaccine coverage plays a critical role in reducing complications and mortality, ultimately improving public health.
The experts called for close cooperation among health authorities, medical professionals, and biomedical innovators to advance pneumococcal prevention and expand vaccine coverage among high-risk populations.
Darrell Oh, general director of Pfizer Vietnam, opened the event by reaffirming Pfizer’s commitment to Vietnam’s healthcare system. He emphasized their role in bringing the latest scientific knowledge, training healthcare workers, and improving vaccine access for vulnerable groups. Oh described the symposia as a strong example of collaboration among professional organizations, medical experts, and industry partners to build a sustainable and effective disease prevention strategy for the community.
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