Health x Wellness
MSD And PAS Implements A Shingles Immunisation Programme
Approximately 250 residents at Ren Ci Nursing Home will receive free vaccinations for shingles prevention.
In the lead up to the National Immunisation Awareness month this August, The Pain Association of Singapore (PAS) and global healthcare leader MSD Pharma (Singapore) have joined hands to take the fight to shingles through a shingles immunisation drive to protect elderly low-income residents of Ren Ci Nursing Home. As part of this initiative, close to 250 residents will receive free shingles vaccinations; a good thing considering how costly contracting shingles can be.
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is an extremely painful and debilitating disease of the nervous system caused by the same varicella-zoster virus responsible for chickenpox. After contracting chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body, reactivating at a later stage in life due to several risk factors, including a weaker immune system and age.
Ren Ci’s clinical director, Dr Lee Liang Tee said, “We are extremely pleased that PAS and MSD have stepped forward to donate and administer shingles vaccinations to needy residents at Ren Ci nursing home. Most of our patients are elderly or have chronic conditions which put them at a higher risk of developing complications should they contract shingles. Prevention is better than cure, as the pain would take a huge toll on patients, their families and their caregivers. With the support of our partners and primary care team, we will be able to better prevent shingles in our elderly patients.”
Approximately one in three people will develop shingles in their lifetime. The risk for shingles increases as a person gets older, especially if one is over 50 years old. A common symptom in the acute stage is pain, caused by the blistering rash, which is present in the acute and chronic stages. Pain in the acute stage is caused by the blistering rash, while pain in the chronic stage (chronic nerve pain or post-herpetic neuralgia) is a potentially severe complication that poses the greatest concern for older adults. While the intensity of pain varies between the two stages, one study has reported that the intensity of pain in the acute stage surpasses that of the chronic stage.
Recently released findings from a MSD-Raffles Hospital ‘Burden of Illness’ study on shingles, a local retrospective study, which looked at patients aged 50 years and above treated at Raffles Hospital for shingles from 1 January 2010 to 31 March 2013, found that approximately seven in ten shingles patients experienced some form of pain, with two suffering from serious complications for more than a month. In addition, the study revealed that three in 10 patients had shingles on the facial area, a common site of the disease.
Dr. Ho Kok Yuen, President of PAS, said, “While a case of shingles may be relatively benign for someone in her thirties, the disease can be extremely painful for the elderly, in whom it is also much more common. Shingles can decrease the quality of life for senior citizens if the pain is severe and persists for months or years, a complication due to post-herpetic neuralgia. In addition, outbreaks that start on the face or eyes can cause visual or hearing problems. Even permanent blindness can result if the cornea of the eye is affected.”
Learn more about shingles here.
