KUALA LUMPUR, 28 OCTOBER 2021 (The Capital Post)- Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) recently donated its pneumococcal vaccines in support of several hospitals and NGOs that were seeking to help protect their patients from pneumococcal pneumonia.
-Advertisement-
A number of experts have lauded the contribution made by the company because they perceive it as an important good-will gesture amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Dr Ariza Adnan, Consultant Clinical Microbiologist at the Hospital Universiti Teknologi MARA (HUiTM) says “S. pneumoniae is a bacterium that can cause air sacs (or alveoli) of the lungs to fill up with fluid and pus and this makes it difficult for the individual to breathe, thus causing blood oxygen to drop to dangerously low levels”.
She further added that, “S. pneumoniae infection can lead to pneumococcal pneumonia, one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)’.
Professor Ariza said, “Advancing age is one of the primary risk factors for pneumococcal pneumonia. Adults 65 years or older are over 10 times more likely to be hospitalised for the disease than adults aged 18 to 49”.
Ms Pang Lai Li, MSD Managing Director for Malaysia & Singapore, remarked that the decision to donate pneumococcal vaccines to the hospitals and NGOs that reached out to the company for support was made in the spirit of corporate responsibility, MSD’s obligation to society as well as the health and well-being of patients in Malaysia.
-Advertisement-
She said, “MSD is committed to safeguarding public health with the company’s range of vaccines that are available in the country”.
“Through this donation, we hope to help protect individuals by reducing their risk of getting hospitalised for pneumococcal pneumonia during these trying times.”, she added.
Professor Dr Jamiyah Hassan, thanked MSD for donating its pneumococcal vaccines to UiTM Hospital and remarked, “MSD’s gesture enabled us to provide free pneumococcal vaccination to the staff of UiTM who are most in need of the protection it confers, especially those with chronic diseases.”
“Patients with malignancies are at higher risk of infection & its complications and it is due to the changes in the immune system that may be caused by the cancer itself, certain types of treatment, or poor nutritional status”, said, Dr Murallitharan M., Managing Director of National Cancer Society Malaysia.
“MSD’s pneumococcal vaccines will not only benefit the cancer sufferers we care for, but also the many other underprivileged patients who frequent our clinic”, he added.- The Capital Post