The measles outbreak in Penampang, Sabah this past January is an example of suboptimal vaccine coverage in a population. This further emphasises the importance of immunisation, which saves millions of lives every year and prevents many children from disability.
Locally, the Ministry of Health has ensured that every child in Malaysia has access to the National Immunisation Programme (NIP). The NIP protects against 13 infectious diseases – tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, pneumococcus, human papillomavirus, and Japanese encephalitis.
