RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Health experts on Thursday discussed stern measures to promote vaccine industry in Pakistan, role of vaccine industry in national security, vaccination, healthier society and national security and making Pakistan self-sufficient in production for better health at a seminar.

Dr Syed Naweed who is a neurobiologist who firstly reconnected a network of brain cells onto a specially designed silicon chip, proving that the chemistries of living beings and computers could coexist and even cooperate said that Pakistan would have to take extraordinary measures for the conservation of future of healthcare. Amjad Ali Jawa also addressed the seminar while LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad were also present on the occasion.

In economic perspective, the market of vaccines is getting momentum because of its abundant usage. Soon, that is becoming the most profitable source in the world’s largest pharma industry. The total worth of the vaccine is close to $24billion and expected to grow to $61billion by 2020. So Pakistan should also interact with the leading pharma companies for partnership, they said.

They were of the view that the companies should be encouraged to invest in Pakistan and expand their services for the betterment of health and economy of the country. This will surely create a win-win situation by boosting up the economy and building healthier world by decreasing the deadly health risks. Through this, Pakistan will not only be able to build its good repute on the international level but also strive for achieving goals and dreams following the footprints of WHO because vaccines are mandatory for national security and welfare state, they added.

The experts said that in Pakistan, children have been trapping in the quagmire of a number of lethal diseases which are polio, diphtheria, pertussis, haemophilus influenza ( Type b- Hib), Pneumococcal Disease, Meningococcal Disease, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Chickenpox, Influenza, Rotavirus, Human Papillomavirus and many more. Unfortunately, the ratio is skyrocketing day by day.

The country is on the crossroad of destiny regarding becoming self sufficient to deal with the deadly diseases such as dengue fever, SARs, Ebola, Zika Virus, monkey pox, plague and Lassa fever. Currently, Pakistan has one of the highest infants immortality rate in the world. The growth of a large contingent of our children is stunted because of early childhood diseases, lack of immunization, poor nutrition, genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors.

Vaccines are the most effective medication for the prevention of such diseases which are also cost effective. Billions of people are getting rid of the diseases because of quality vaccination. According to research, vaccines save lives of approximately three million children every year. In spite of relying on other countries for vaccines to prevent the lethal disease, Pakistan must establish its own vaccine production and supply. The reasons include as supply and quality security, control over production scheduling and sustainability, cost management, socio-economic development, and rapid response to local epidemics and emerging infectious diseases etc.

The countries which have taken the initiative of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) vaccines have a better ratio to countering the diseases in more effective manners. Childhood morbidity and mortality are falling considerably because of the vaccine taking. High infant mortality rate and burden of diseases will exert bad influence on the next generation of Pakistan. The financial burden and increasing ratio of diseases will shake the tectonic plates of human capital, national economy, national capacity, self-reliance and sufficiency. That is the reason; precautionary measures are required to take to build a healthier nation by promoting vaccine by government.

The basic manufacturing steps are required to take for production of vaccines in safe, effective and consistent manners. Attention must be given to caveats; nearly infinite combinations of biological variability in basic starting materials, the microorganism itself, the environmental condition of microbial culture, the knowledge and experience of the manufacturing technician, and the steps involved in the purification processes, the experts said.