Immunise4Life
In 2012, Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) and Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases & Chemotherapy (MSIDC) entered into a collaboration to mount Immunise4Life (IFL), an expert-driven community education initiative to promote immunisation for all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases.
IFL is aimed at:
1. Enabling continual promotion of immunisation for all ages.
2. Developing a ‘perpetual’ web-based resource for the nation.
3. Paving the way to cultivate an e-community of pro-vaccination advocates.
IFL’s communications objectives include:
1. Raising awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases.
2. Emphasising childhood immunisation.
3. Promoting (general and gender-specific) adult vaccination.
4. Advocating immunisation for special groups.
5. Anticipating and de-sensitising the public against issues & concerns that may result in vaccine refusal.
MOH established a Steering Committee to oversee the direction and implementation of the programme, in line with prevailing policies. The committee is chaired by YBhg Tuan Haji Abdul Jabar Ahmad, Director – Health Education Division and comprises heads and/or representatives of related divisions. A Technical Committee was also set up to guide content development and the execution of activitizzes. It comprises the following experts, representing each of the collaborating organisations:
Chairman
Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail
Consultant Paediatrician
Former President, MPA
Members
Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin
Consultant Paediatrician
Exco Member, MPA
Dr Yong Junina Fadzil
Consultant Paediatrician
Member, MPA
Dr Ariza Adnan
Consultant Pathologist (Medical Microbiology)
Member, MSIDC
Dr Mohd Suhaimi Ab Wahab
Consultant Paediatrician
Member, MSIDC
Dr Nor Liza Ariffin
Infectious Diseases Physician
Member, MSIDC
Various MOH Experts
To be co-opted, when required
PARTNERS
Ministry of Health,Malaysia
The initiation of the Immunise4Life programme by the Ministry of (MOH) was Malaysia’s response to the World Health Organisation’s call to action for greater promotion of immunisation. The ministry has always been a staunch advocate of immunisation. Among one of the important measures undertaken by the Ministry to make immunisation available to the public was the introduction of the National Immunisation Programme. This programme includes free administration of vaccines to Malaysian children against many major childhood diseases. As adult immunisation is equally important as childhood immunisation, the ministry would also like to advocate immunisation for adults through this programme. The representatives of the Ministry of Health in Immunise4Life are as per the following:
YBhg Tuan Haji Abdul Jabar Ahmad
Director
Health Education Division
Mr Sasitheran A/L KK Nair
Senior Assistant Director
Health Education Division
Malaysian Paediatric Association
The Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) is a collective of paediatricians, paediatric nurses and other healthcare professionals who play major roles in advocating all issues related to paediatrics and child health – this includes immunisation. The invaluable expertise of the MPA members on the technical committee in Immunise4Life lends credibility to the programme as the experts on the committee guide content development and the execution of activities. The MPA members who are involved in the Immunise4Life programme are as per the following:
Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail
Former President
Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin
Exco Member
Dr Yong Junina Fadzil
Member
Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy
The Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy (MSIDC) is a registered non-profit society, dealing with the field of infectious diseases and antimicrobial chemotherapy. One of the objectives of the society includes facilitating the dissemination of knowledge in the field of infectious diseases – this includes immunisation. The invaluable expertise of the MSIDC members on the technical committee in Immunise4Life lends credibility to the programme as the experts on the committee guide content development and the execution of activities. The MSIDC members who are involved in the Immunise4Life programme are as per the following:
Dr Ariza Adnan
Committee Member
Dr Mohd Suhaimi Ab Wahab
Committee Member
Dr Nor Liza Ariffin
Member
Sponsors
The call to mount the Immunise4Life Programme by the Ministry of Health Malaysia in collaboration with the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) and the Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy (MSIDC) was extended to the vaccine industry in 2012. This was met with enthusiastic response from the following sponsors who stepped forward to generously contribute to the programme through unconditional educational grants: Sanofi-Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and Pfizer.
MOH, MPA and MSIDC hope to achieve a more widespread outreach to the Malaysian public through this collaboration in order to inform them about the importance of immunisation for all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases. The commitment of the sponsors to educate the public about immunisation is one that is much appreciated, and another step towards a healthier nation as well as towards eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases.