International Vaccine Conference - First of its Kind in Pakistan

Eminent national and international speakers participated in a three-day conference on 'Vaccine Production and Utilisation in Developing Countries: Issues, Prospects and Implications for Pakistan', hosted by AKU in August 2003. The conference was held in collaboration with COMSTECH (Scientific Committee of the Organization of Islamic Countries); Pakistan Paediatric Association; the Vaccine Development Task Force, Pakistan; and AKU.

Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, the Hussein Lalji Dewraj Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, AKU, speaking at the three-day conference on vaccine production.

The first of its kind in the country, the conference provided a forum for discussion on virtually every aspect of vaccinology. Participating speakers reflected a diversity of professionals, and included representatives from academia, the private sector, government officials and international organisations. Federal Minister for Health, Mohammad Nasir Khan, was the chief guest at the inaugural session. He called on the private sector to join hands with the government in the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases. In his keynote address, Dr. John Clemens, Director, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Korea, stressed the importance of translational research in implementing new vaccine initiatives and technology in developing countries, and shared his organisation's experiences in China, Indonesia, Vietnam and India.

The event focused on various aspects of vaccine research and development and their potential significance for Pakistan. It sought to provide an opportunity for dialogue on the global epidemiology, highlighting public health significance of vaccines for child health, while allowing participants to exchange views as well as discuss a blueprint for vaccine development and research in Pakistan. Insights into the newly emerging field of biotechnology, with special relevance to vaccine development, were gained, and knowledge and skills in vaccine-related microbiological research were refined and upgraded. Distinguished speakers from other developing countries, such as Cuba, Indonesia and Iran, provided useful insights into their efforts for gaining self-sufficiency in vaccine production. Meanwhile, representatives from international pharmaceutical firms shed light on the role of the private sector in promoting vaccine research and utilisation in developing countries. A clear consensus emerged on the need to invest more in vaccine research through increased training and development in basic sciences, and formation of viable public-private partnerships to implement self-sufficiency in vaccine production, especially in Pakistan.

Addressing the concluding session, Federal Health Secretary, Ejaz Rahim, underscored the need to institutionalise vaccine development with a strong emphasis on capacity building. He assured the participants that the government was committed to seriously considering and adopting the recommendations of the National Vaccine Development Task Force, which are currently under review.

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