You will need your child’s immunisation records during registration for primary school.
Malaysian National Immunisation Programme (NIP)
The Malaysian National Immunisation Programme (NIP) was introduced in the early 1950s. NIP has expanded protection against 13 major childhood diseases.
- Diphtheria: An infectious disease caused by bacteria that live in the mouth and throat of the infected person.
- Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib): A serious infection that mainly affects children under 5 years.
- Hepatitis B: Infection of the liver by the Hepatitis B virus.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV): Most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that causes cervical cancer which is the third most common cancer in women.
- Japanese encephalitis (JE): Infection of the brain caused by JE virus.
- Measles: A highly contagious viral disease.
- Mumps: A viral infection that is the most common cause of inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).
- Pertussis – Whooping Cough: Highly contagious, with violent and persistent coughing that may cause a child to struggle to breathe and, turn blue (cyanosed).
- Poliomyelitis (polio): An infectious and incurable viral disease that attacks the nervous system.
- Rubella: Also known as German measles that may cause abnormalities to the foetus.
- Tetanus: Also known as lockjaw, caused by bacteria toxins that attacks the body’s nervous system.
- Tuberculosis (TB): A disease that commonly infects the lungs, but can also attack other parts such as the kidney, spine, skin, intestines and brain.
- Pneumococcal: A bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae that can affect the lungs and other parts of the body.
7 Additional Vaccines for Children
There are vaccines for other common childhood diseases, which are not covered by the Malaysian National Immunisation Programme (NIP). These vaccines are available at private hospitals and clinics, for a fee, all over Malaysia. For maximum protection, it is recommended to immunise your children with these additional recommended vaccines as well.
There are currently 7 other vaccines that prevent diseases that can be deadly to children.
- Chickenpox (varicella): Highly contagious disease which causes fever and blistering skin.
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Highly contagious viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The symptoms can appear like common cold. In rare cases, serious complications like multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS) may develop in children (MIS-C) and adults (MIS-A) which causes inflammation throughout the organ and body.
- Dengue fever: Infectious disease transmitted by the bites of Aedes mosquitoes. After being bitten, it can cause fever, skin rashes, muscle and joint pain within 4 to 10 days. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, with symptoms like hemorrhagic fever, which can be life-threatening.
- Hepatitis A: Infection of the liver by the hepatitis A virus.
- Influenza: Viral infection of the nose, throat and lungs.
- Meningococcal disease: Bacterial infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord that can lead to permanent disability.
- Rotavirus: Causes vomiting and severe diarrhoea in babies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If your child misses a dose, inform your doctor immediately. He or she will advise you on what to do next. Generally, your doctor will continue with the subsequent vaccine doses.
When planning vaccinations, mark down all immunisation dates as soon as possible. It can be easy to forget immunisation dates when you have to deal with work, household chores and so on. Try marking the appointments on your calendar, smartphone or computer.
If your child has an on-going fever, it is likely that his or her immune system is not in the best condition. In this case, your doctor might advise you to postpone the vaccination until your child recovers. If your child has a cold, but no fever, it is still possible for your child to be vaccinated.
After being vaccinated, a small proportion of children experience some changes, in other words side effects. Don’t worry, these side effects are usually mild and expected. These vaccine reactions mean that the body is building its immunity in response to the vaccines.
Redness, swelling or tenderness at the injection site: This will slowly go away on its own, after a few days. However, if needed, you can use a cool, wet towel to soothe the redness and swelling.
Fever: If your baby gets a fever, you can cool him or her down by tepid sponging. Make sure you baby has lots of fluid to drink. If your child develops a fever or becomes irritable, you can treat them with pain-relieving medication such as paracetamol. However, these should never be given before immunisation or if the child has no fever.
REFERENCE:
- https://immunise4life.my/the-malaysian-national-immunisation-programme-nip/
- https://immunise4life.my/7-additional-vaccines-for-children/
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