Combating vaccine hesitancy

Photo: Reuters

I REFER to the letter by Arunah Chandran titled “Engaging with anti-vaxxers” (The Star, Jan 13; online at bit.ly/star_engage).

While vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) sound easy to combat, ie simply by vaccinating, why are their numbers rising now? The main recognised threat in public health in Malaysia currently is the re-emergence of these VPDs. The polio outbreak in Tuaran, Sabah, in December indicates that this threat could potentially hinder Malaysia’s strategies in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 (these are 17 global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”).