Pfizer India and Amrita Hospital have joined forces to inaugurate a dedicated Centre of Excellence (CoE) for adult vaccination at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. This center aims to enhance community-wide vaccination coverage against several vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), including Pneumococcal disease, Influenza, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and Hepatitis A and B.

Adult vaccination is a proven, effective strategy to improve the quality of life, yet its adoption in India remains low. Roughly 95% of VPD-related deaths in India occur in adults, emphasizing the importance of increasing vaccination uptake. Vaccination can help avoid VPD-related health complications, especially among at-risk individuals with comorbidities such as Chronic Lung Disease (COPD & Asthma), Diabetes, Chronic Heart Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Cancer, and other immunocompromised conditions. The CoE will play a vital role in addressing barriers to vaccination in the region by empowering healthcare professionals with essential information on the long-lasting benefits of adult vaccination.

Dr. Sanjeev Singh, Medical Director at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, highlighted the institution's commitment to comprehensive, quality care. He remarked, "Vaccination over the course of one’s life is a simple and effective tool to protect individuals and the community against vaccine-preventable diseases. Encouraging increased vaccine uptake among adults ensures widespread, layered protection against infections, which is especially vital for vulnerable populations."

The CoE at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad will focus on education efforts to ensure that healthcare practitioners are equipped with evidence-based information on the benefits and importance of adult vaccination. The center will offer capacity-building efforts and holistic training modules, along with access to adult vaccination guidelines and protocol recommendations. This initiative aims to help healthcare practitioners engage early with at-risk groups and discuss the benefits of vaccination as a preventive healthcare tool. Individuals with risk factors include smokers, those exposed to pollution, and people aged 50 years or older.

Dr. Santosh Taur, Director of Medical Affairs at Pfizer Vaccines, expressed Pfizer's commitment to advancing public health through scientific innovation. He stated, "Inaugurating this Centre of Excellence in collaboration with Amrita Hospital marks a key milestone in our journey to advancing public health. This reiterates our commitment to scaling up adult vaccination coverage across the community to ensure greater protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. Through this Centre, we intend to empower healthcare practitioners and patients with comprehensive information to guide care decision-making and the adoption of preventive strategies such as immunization."

The partnership between Pfizer India and Amrita Hospital is set to make a significant impact on public health by promoting adult vaccination and improving healthcare outcomes for the community.