Pfizer Holds MERA Vaccines Summit to Discuss the Impact of Vaccines on Controlling Diseases in the Region

• The MERA Vaccines Summit brought together more than 100 physicians and healthcare professionals to Dubai to discuss a range of communicable diseases.
• The summit educated healthcare professionals with the latest literature on vaccines, and its impact to the region's population.
• Vaccines are critical to reducing disease burden and countering new variants of diseases, especially for those at most risk of hospitalization.

DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pfizer Middle East, Russia and Africa (MERA) hosted the MERA Vaccines Summit, welcoming more than 100 physicians and healthcare professionals from around the region to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Held this October 2023, the event covered a range of communicable diseases with leading experts. International and regional experts highlighted the global and regional burden of disease and the public health impact of vaccination, and summarized recommendations for vaccination for various patient populations.

Experts from across the region discussed how vaccines significantly reduced the burden of many diseases in the MERA, especially those impacting younger children and older people whose immune systems are compromised. Innovations in vaccine delivery have also made preventative measures more accessible. This includes maternal vaccines, which is the vaccination of pregnant women to reduce the risk of infectious disease in infants who are too young to receive vaccines.

They also discussed how critical it is for vaccine strategies to be implemented during mass gatherings that are considered high-risk events like the Hajj pilgrim to prevent infectious disease outbreaks. In light of the pandemic, these strategies are especially important to counter the emergence of new disease variants to reduce the burden of disease in those at most risk of hospitalization or poor outcomes.

Dr Hammam Haridy, Pfizer MERA Senior Director Regional Medical & Scientific Affairs, Vaccines and Anti Virals shared, "The MERA Vaccines Summit are part of Pfizer's commitments to provide high-quality medical education to healthcare professionals throughout the region. Vaccination has become a hot topic in the last several years, and it's critical for physicians to stay updated on the latest literature to provide patients with the best possible outcomes."

Nawal Al Kaabi, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Consultant and Chair of SEHA Infectious Diseases and Infection Control Council, and Chair of the National COVID-19 Clinical Management Committee, Abu Dhabi, UAE also shared, "This summit played an important role to discuss the significance of vaccine strategies. For the public, it's important for people to know if they are at high-risk of a severe respiratory infection; to plan ahead of time in case they get sick; and to go to their healthcare provider should they get sick. With a robust plan and an informed healthcare system, we can control diseases and prevent outbreaks."

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