As a parent, few things are more frightening than watching your baby struggle to breathe.
In Malaysia, the culprit behind this terrifying scene is often a virus many have never heard of: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for all infants in Malaysia, yet it remains under-discussed and unaddressed.
After the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, local data shows a troubling surge: infants are now falling seriously ill at a younger age, with a 32.5 per cent need for ventilation support post-pandemic, up from just 9.4 per cent previously.
This is why a new position paper (Recommendations on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Immunisation Strategies for Infants and Young Children in Countries with Year-Round RSV Activity), published by the College of Pediatrics, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, is an urgent milestone.
The experts recommend a pragmatic, two-step strategy:
- Target high-risk infants first (preterm babies, those with chronic lung or heart disease) using long-acting monoclonal antibodies (nirsevimab).
- Scale up to universal immunisation for all infants when resources permit, combined with year-round maternal vaccination during the third trimester of pregnancy.
The RSV season in our tropical climate is year-round, with distinct peaks, making seasonal strategies impossible.
Fortunately, nirsevimab (Beyfortus) has been approved by Malaysia’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) and offers single-dose protection for at least six months, slashing hospitalisations by over 80 per cent in clinical trials.
This isn’t just a medical issue, but a test of our health care priorities.
While lower respiratory infections account for 14 per cent of under-five deaths globally, RSV is preventable.
The Institute for Clinical Research Malaysia has explicitly noted that this publication should “help support evidence based justification to policymakers for the implementation of vaccination in Malaysia”.
The time for justification is over. We now need a timeline for inclusion under the National Immunisation Programme (NIP).
Malaysia has world-class paediatric expertise and a robust immunisation system. Let’s give parents the peace of mind that their babies are protected from this invisible threat. Our children deserve nothing less.
Dr Musa Mohd Nordin and Dr Zulkifli Ismail are paediatricians.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
