Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts
Encyclopedia
The Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE) is a project of the Sabin Vaccine Institute
and is composed of global experts in infectious disease
s and vaccine
s. Established in December 2006, The Council seeks to raise awareness among policymakers and aims to secure global commitments to prevent pneumococcal disease, a leading infectious killer of children and adults worldwide. The Council works in collaboration and partnership with countries, NGOs
, academia and industry.
s and vaccine
s from 17 countries around the world. The Council is chaired by Ciro A. de Quadros
, Executive Vice President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute
and Orin Levine
, Executive Director of PneumoADIP at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
.
.
On May 4, 2007, the launch of PACE was announced at a press conference in Washington, D.C.
At the event, PACE gave its first annual Global Leadership Award. The Global Leadership Award is given annually by PACE to recognize an individual, organization or country that has championed pneumococcal disease prevention and made a significant contribution towards policies that advance the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. PACE Global Leadership Award recipients include: Dr. Thomas Cherian, who has helped accelerate the surveillance of pneumonia
throughout the developing world and contributed to research on the global pneumococcal disease burden
. The Health Minister of Rwanda
– the first country in Africa
to introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccines; and the Health Minister of Costa Rica
– the first country in Latin America
to implement a nationwide vaccination program.
On November 20, 2007, PACE's European launch took place in Prague
, Czech Republic
with representatives from professional societies, PACE member Pavla Krizova, and the Czech Ministry of Health in attendance.
On February 15, 2008, PACE held a press event during the 3rd Regional Pneumococcal Symposium in Istanbul
, Turkey
to call upon policy leaders in Turkey
and the region to assure access to pneumococcal vaccines and to support the expansion of health systems to deliver them and monitor their impact.
On June 10, 2008, PACE along with the Sabin Vaccine Institute
, PATH and PneumoADIP, participated in the 6th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD-6) in Reykjavik
, Iceland
. PACE issued a Global Call to Action on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention, urging governments to take steps to make financing available for access to pneumococcal vaccines.
On October 24, 2008, over 100 professional medical societies, institutions and organizations from around the world had signed PACE’s Global Call to Action to urge governments, donors and industry to ensure access to pneumococcal vaccines. Rwanda
announced that they would be one of the first two countries to introduce the pneumococcal vaccine
into its national immunization program in the spring of 2009.
On January 31, 2009 PACE and the Hib Initiative hosted Childhood Pneumonia and Meningitis: Recent Advances at Aga Khan University
in Karachi
, Pakistan
. The event, brought together stakeholders in child health from Pakistan
, including health professionals, representatives from the Ministry of Health and EPI officials. Event leaders, PACE Co-chair Dr. Ciro de Quadros
and PACE member Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta, highlighted the role of advocacy in combating childhood pneumonia
and meningitis
.
On March 3, 2009, PACE, in conjunction with the Sabin Vaccine Institute
, PneumoADIP and the WHO
, hosted a media briefing at the Sabin Vaccine Institute's 4th Regional Pneumococcal Symposium in Johannesburg
, South Africa
, at which PACE released two new studies, Sequelae Due to Bacterial Meningitis among African Children: A Systematic Literature Review, and Bacterial Infections in Persons with Sickle Cell Disease: A Review of Data from Africa with a Focus on Pneumococcal Disease. The event also sought to highlight South Africa
's introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine
, with support from the GAVI Alliance.
In October 2009, PACE conducted a briefing and one-on-one meetings with members of the European Parliament
and European Commission
to recommend action on pneumococcal disease
.
On November 1–2, 2009 PACE, a member of the World Pneumonia Day Coalition, sponsored a press conference, policymaker roundtable, rally, march and symposium to commemorate World Pneumonia Day
in Bangladesh
where the country’s leaders and advocates focused their attention on the prevention and treatment of pneumonia
. These events and activities were led by PACE member Dr. Samir K. Saha. PACE World Pneumonia Day events also took place in Brazil
, Dominican Republic
, Kenya
, South Africa
, the Czech Republic
, Israel
, Pakistan
, China
and the Philippines
.
of contracting pneumococcal disease and suffering its devastating consequences. It was found that African children who contract pneumococcal disease are 36 times as likely to have sickle-cell disease, a blood disorder prevalent in African children that increases the risk for infectious diseases and early death. Inn addition, the research showed that up to one-half of all children in Africa
who get pneumococcal meningitis will either die or be disabled as a consequence of the disease, even when treated with antibiotics in a hospital. As the three leading causes of bacterial meningitis
in childhood are vaccine preventable, the regular use of conjugate vaccines would reduce the high burden of morbidity and mortality in both epidemic and endemic settings.
Sabin Vaccine Institute
The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501 organization dedicated to reducing needless humansuffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment...
and is composed of global experts in infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
s and vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
s. Established in December 2006, The Council seeks to raise awareness among policymakers and aims to secure global commitments to prevent pneumococcal disease, a leading infectious killer of children and adults worldwide. The Council works in collaboration and partnership with countries, NGOs
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, academia and industry.
Council Members
PACE is made up of 21 global experts on infectious diseaseInfectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
s and vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
s from 17 countries around the world. The Council is chaired by Ciro A. de Quadros
Ciro de Quadros
Dr. Ciro de Quadros is a leader in the field of Public Health, in particular, the area of vaccine preventable diseases.-Eradication of polio:Dr. de Quadros played a critical role in developing the strategies now used worldwide in the eradication of polio....
, Executive Vice President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute
Sabin Vaccine Institute
The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501 organization dedicated to reducing needless humansuffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment...
and Orin Levine
Orin Levine
Dr. Orin Levine is a recognized expert in the fields international public health, child survival, and pneumonia. He currently acts as the Executive Director of the , the Co-Chair of the Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts , and is an Associate Professor at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School...
, Executive Director of PneumoADIP at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is part of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
| Council Member | Affiliation | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Ciro A. de Quadros Ciro de Quadros Dr. Ciro de Quadros is a leader in the field of Public Health, in particular, the area of vaccine preventable diseases.-Eradication of polio:Dr. de Quadros played a critical role in developing the strategies now used worldwide in the eradication of polio.... , Chair |
Sabin Vaccine Institute Sabin Vaccine Institute The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501 organization dedicated to reducing needless humansuffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment... |
USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| Orin Levine Orin Levine Dr. Orin Levine is a recognized expert in the fields international public health, child survival, and pneumonia. He currently acts as the Executive Director of the , the Co-Chair of the Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts , and is an Associate Professor at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School... , Chair |
AVI, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is part of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, United States... |
USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| Zulfiqar A. Bhutta | Aga Khan University Aga Khan University The Aga Khan University is a coeducational research university spread over three continents. It was granted its charter in 1983 as Pakistan's first private, autonomous university. AKU was founded by His Highness the Aga Khan, and is part of the Aga Khan Development Network... |
Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan... |
| Lulu C. Bravo | Philippine General Hospital Philippine General Hospital The Philippine General Hospital is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated by the University of the Philippines Manila, the University of the Philippines System's Health Sciences Center. It is the largest government hospital administered by the university, and is designated as... |
Philippines Philippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... |
| Ron Dagan | Soroka University Medical Center Soroka Medical Center Soroka Medical Center is a hospital in Beersheba, Israel. It is the largest medical center in southern region of the country, and the fourth largest in Israel with approximately 1000 beds. It is owned by Clalit, the largest Health Maintenance Organization in Israel. Soroka services diverse ethnic... |
Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... |
| Calil Farhat | Federal University of São Paulo | Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
| Jesus M. Feris | Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital | Dominican Republic Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries... |
| Javier Garau | European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases | Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
| Najwa Khuri-Bulos | Jordan University Hospital | Jordan Jordan Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing... |
| Keith Klugman | Emory University Emory University Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of... |
USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| Pavla Krizova | National Institute of Public Health | Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
| Shabir Madhi | National Research Foundation | South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
| David Murdoch | Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences University of Otago Christchurch School of Medicine The University of Otago, Christchurch, formerly Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, in Christchurch, New Zealand, is one of three medical schools that make up the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Otago. It is based primarily at Christchurch Hospital, in Christchurch Central... |
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
| Hans Rosling Hans Rosling Hans Rosling is a Swedish medical doctor, academic, statistician and public speaker. He is Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institute and co-founder and chairman of the Gapminder Foundation, which developed the Trendalyzer software system.-Study and career:From 1967 to 1974 Rosling... |
Karolinska Institute Karolinska Institutet Karolinska institutet is a medical university in Solna within the Stockholm urban area, Sweden, and one of Europe's largest medical universities... |
Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
| Samir K. Saha | Dhaka Shishu Hospital Dhaka Shishu Hospital Dhaka Shishu Hospital is a specialised hospital in Bangladesh for the treatment of sick children. The hospital is located in the capital city of Dhaka.... |
Bangladesh Bangladesh Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south... |
| José Ignacio Santos | National Autonomous University of Mexico National Autonomous University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous... |
Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... |
| Mathuram Santosham | AVI, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is part of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, United States... |
USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| Samba Sow | Center for Vaccine Development | Mali Mali Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with... |
| Fred Were | Kenya Paediatric Association | Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east... |
| Cynthia Whitney | U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta... |
USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| Yong-Hong Yang | Beijing Children’s Hospital | China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
Events
PACE has hosted and participated in a number of events worldwide to help raise awareness about pneumococcal diseaseStreptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is Gram-positive, alpha-hemolytic, aerotolerant anaerobic member of the genus Streptococcus. A significant human pathogenic bacterium, S...
.
On May 4, 2007, the launch of PACE was announced at a press conference in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
At the event, PACE gave its first annual Global Leadership Award. The Global Leadership Award is given annually by PACE to recognize an individual, organization or country that has championed pneumococcal disease prevention and made a significant contribution towards policies that advance the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. PACE Global Leadership Award recipients include: Dr. Thomas Cherian, who has helped accelerate the surveillance of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
throughout the developing world and contributed to research on the global pneumococcal disease burden
Disease burden
Disease burden is the impact of a health problem in an area measured by financial cost, mortality, morbidity, or other indicators. It is often quantified in terms of quality-adjusted life years or disability-adjusted life years , which combine the burden due to both death and morbidity into one...
. The Health Minister of Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
– the first country in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccines; and the Health Minister of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
– the first country in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
to implement a nationwide vaccination program.
On November 20, 2007, PACE's European launch took place in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
with representatives from professional societies, PACE member Pavla Krizova, and the Czech Ministry of Health in attendance.
On February 15, 2008, PACE held a press event during the 3rd Regional Pneumococcal Symposium in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to call upon policy leaders in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and the region to assure access to pneumococcal vaccines and to support the expansion of health systems to deliver them and monitor their impact.
On June 10, 2008, PACE along with the Sabin Vaccine Institute
Sabin Vaccine Institute
The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501 organization dedicated to reducing needless humansuffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment...
, PATH and PneumoADIP, participated in the 6th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD-6) in Reykjavik
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. PACE issued a Global Call to Action on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention, urging governments to take steps to make financing available for access to pneumococcal vaccines.
On October 24, 2008, over 100 professional medical societies, institutions and organizations from around the world had signed PACE’s Global Call to Action to urge governments, donors and industry to ensure access to pneumococcal vaccines. Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
announced that they would be one of the first two countries to introduce the pneumococcal vaccine
Pneumococcal vaccine
A pneumococcal vaccine is a vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae.Types include:* Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine* Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine-Vaccination in the USA:...
into its national immunization program in the spring of 2009.
On January 31, 2009 PACE and the Hib Initiative hosted Childhood Pneumonia and Meningitis: Recent Advances at Aga Khan University
Aga Khan University
The Aga Khan University is a coeducational research university spread over three continents. It was granted its charter in 1983 as Pakistan's first private, autonomous university. AKU was founded by His Highness the Aga Khan, and is part of the Aga Khan Development Network...
in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The event, brought together stakeholders in child health from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, including health professionals, representatives from the Ministry of Health and EPI officials. Event leaders, PACE Co-chair Dr. Ciro de Quadros
Ciro de Quadros
Dr. Ciro de Quadros is a leader in the field of Public Health, in particular, the area of vaccine preventable diseases.-Eradication of polio:Dr. de Quadros played a critical role in developing the strategies now used worldwide in the eradication of polio....
and PACE member Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta, highlighted the role of advocacy in combating childhood pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
.
On March 3, 2009, PACE, in conjunction with the Sabin Vaccine Institute
Sabin Vaccine Institute
The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501 organization dedicated to reducing needless humansuffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment...
, PneumoADIP and the WHO
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, hosted a media briefing at the Sabin Vaccine Institute's 4th Regional Pneumococcal Symposium in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, at which PACE released two new studies, Sequelae Due to Bacterial Meningitis among African Children: A Systematic Literature Review, and Bacterial Infections in Persons with Sickle Cell Disease: A Review of Data from Africa with a Focus on Pneumococcal Disease. The event also sought to highlight South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine
Pneumococcal vaccine
A pneumococcal vaccine is a vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae.Types include:* Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine* Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine-Vaccination in the USA:...
, with support from the GAVI Alliance.
In October 2009, PACE conducted a briefing and one-on-one meetings with members of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
and European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
to recommend action on pneumococcal disease
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is Gram-positive, alpha-hemolytic, aerotolerant anaerobic member of the genus Streptococcus. A significant human pathogenic bacterium, S...
.
On November 1–2, 2009 PACE, a member of the World Pneumonia Day Coalition, sponsored a press conference, policymaker roundtable, rally, march and symposium to commemorate World Pneumonia Day
World Pneumonia Day
World Pneumonia Day provides an annual forum for the world to stand together and demand action in the fight against pneumonia. More than 100 organizations representing the interests of children joined forces as the Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia to hold the first World Pneumonia Day on...
in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
where the country’s leaders and advocates focused their attention on the prevention and treatment of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. These events and activities were led by PACE member Dr. Samir K. Saha. PACE World Pneumonia Day events also took place in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Global Call to Action on Pneumococcal Disease
In 2008, PACE launched its Global Call to Action on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention in partnership with 114 professional medical societies, organizations and institutions from around the world.PACE Commissioned Studies
PACE commissioned two studies, Sequelae Due to Bacterial Meningitis among African Children: A Systematic Literature Review, and Bacterial Infections in Persons with Sickle Cell Disease: A Review of Data from Africa with a Focus on Pneumococcal Disease, that highlighted the increased risk for children in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
of contracting pneumococcal disease and suffering its devastating consequences. It was found that African children who contract pneumococcal disease are 36 times as likely to have sickle-cell disease, a blood disorder prevalent in African children that increases the risk for infectious diseases and early death. Inn addition, the research showed that up to one-half of all children in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
who get pneumococcal meningitis will either die or be disabled as a consequence of the disease, even when treated with antibiotics in a hospital. As the three leading causes of bacterial meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
in childhood are vaccine preventable, the regular use of conjugate vaccines would reduce the high burden of morbidity and mortality in both epidemic and endemic settings.
External links
- Sabin.org/PACE
- Pneumococcal disease
- Pneumococcal vaccines
- World Pneumonia Day
- PATH
- PneumoADIP