Pneumococcal surveillance soon in five hospitals

Lakmini Rodrigo

COLOMBO: The Pneumococcal surveillance commenced in the Lady Ridgeway Hospital will soon expand to four other hospitals in the Colombo District and one hospital in the Kandy District, said Chief epidemiologist Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe at a press briefing.

The briefing aimed to educate media on the programmes being carried out by PneumoADIP to reduce the incidence of pneumonia, Meningitis and sepsis caused by organisms of the pneumococcal family.

A large number of patients admitted to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital suffer from Pneumonia and Meningitis. Most of them are caused by organism of Pneumococcal family, said Consultant Paediatrician of the Hospital Dr. Sarah de Silva.

He added proper identification of the specific pathogenic organism had been difficult before this surveillance programme. The identification and prevention of the diseases are essential as the mortality and morbidity rate is high, he said.

The disease is preventable by proper vaccination, which will be introduced to Sri Lanka after the programme.

The PneumoADIP has also improved the Laboratory infrastructure, Standard testing methods and Quality of testing, said Consultant Microbiologist Dr. Kumudu Karunaratne.

The Pneumococcal surveillance conducted by the Pneumococcal Vaccines Accelerated development and Introduction Plan (PneumoADIP) shows that infants and children are mostly affected by the pneumococcal group of bacteria one of the chief pathogens causing Pneumonia, Meningitis and Sepsis. The diseases cause life long hearing, visual and mental deformities.

The surveillance has revealed high number of antibiotic resistant organisms out of which ninety percent were penicillin resistant organisms.

She added this surveillance was aimed at getting better treatment for the patients by the physicians. The WHO Pneumococcal Surveillance Investigators meeting will be held on February 13 to 16 in Colombo.

Scientists around the world will participate.