Medical experts have highlighted the potential serious risk that seasonal influenza could pose to the health of pregnant women and healthcare workers in the absence of a vaccine.
In collaboration with the World Health Organization and, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Aga Khan University organized an Influenza awareness seminar in Quetta. During the seminar, experts underscored the significance of the seasonal influenza vaccine, emphasizing that pregnant women and healthcare workers face a greater risk compared to others.
The experts urged authorities to take necessary measures to raise awareness about the flu, providing participants with information on symptoms and precautions related to influenza.
It’s noteworthy that on November 2, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued an advisory on the prevention and control of seasonal influenza. According to the NIH statement, flu cases typically increase in Pakistan from December to February during the winter season.
The advisory aims to alert and facilitate health authorities and other stakeholders in implementing timely preventive and control measures. These measures include preparedness to handle the expected increase in workload in outpatient and inpatient departments over the next few months.
The advisory also emphasizes that while seasonal influenza viruses may initially present with mild symptoms, they can progress to severe illness, particularly in high-risk individuals. Individuals with chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, cardiac and lung diseases, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and children under five years old are at a higher risk of developing severe or complicated diseases.
