Medical experts discuss proactive prevention strategies and multidisciplinary collaboration to tackle pediatric respiratory infections at the PediaConnect 2026 symposium in HCM City on May 23-24. — Photos ourtesy of the organisers

HCM CITY — Shifting the medical approach from treatment to proactive prevention and strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration are crucial steps to reducing the escalating burden of respiratory infections in children, medical experts said.

They reached this consensus during the International Symposium PediaConnect 2026, themed “Advances in prevention of respiratory-transmitted infections in children,” held over the weekend in HCM City.

The event convened 200 leading medical experts from Southeast Asia, Israel, and Australia to advance early prevention strategies against three critical respiratory pathogens in young children: pneumococcus, meningococcus, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

This comes as these highly contagious pathogens continue to pose a substantial burden on pediatric health and public healthcare, intensified by the growing complexities of climate change, urbanisation, and air pollution.

Speaking at the event, Professor Trần Minh Điển, director of the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital and President of the Vietnam Pediatric Association, said: “To reduce the disease burden, we must shift our mindset from focusing on treatment to proactive prevention, as well as strengthen epidemiological surveillance and raise public awareness about respiratory infectious diseases, especially in children.”

Among the diseases discussed, pneumococcus raised profound concern as the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia.

It can lead to severe invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) in young children, such as sepsis and meningitis, causing rapid fatality or leaving devastating, long-term sequelae including impaired lung function and brain damage.

From an epidemiological perspective, Dr Phan Hữu Phúc, deputy director of the Vietnam National Children's Hospital, said the epidemiological landscape of pneumococcus is changing significantly, with data recording serotype replacement due to the prevalence of strains falling outside previous vaccine coverage.

“Currently, the epidemiological landscape of pneumococcus is undergoing significant changes, data from multiple Southeast Asian countries, including Việt Nam, have recorded serotype replacement due to the prevalence of strains falling outside the coverage of previous pneumococcal vaccines," he said.

Compounding the crisis, pneumococcus resistance to common antibiotics has emerged in local hospitals, complicating treatments.

Trần Minh Điển, director of the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital and President of the Vietnam Pediatric Association, speak at the PediaConnect 2026 symposium in HCM City on May 23-24.

Experts also warned that pneumococcus can co-infect with RSV, leading to intensive care admissions, while meningococcal meningitis remains highly dangerous due to its rapid progression and high risk of mortality.

International experts at the forum shared valuable insights on pediatric respiratory disease prevention.

Associate Professor Nusrat Homaira from the University of New South Wales in Australia said these diseases inflict long-term impacts across Southeast Asia.

“Therefore, awareness campaigns and multidisciplinary collaborations aimed at strengthening disease surveillance, improving access to appropriate preventive measures must be continuously deployed in a coordinated manner to build a stronger healthcare foundation for children in every nation.”

Sharing insights on the model in Israel, Professor Ron Dagan from Ben-Gurion University emphasised using real-world epidemiological data to guide preventive strategies.

“Currently, many countries are paying closer attention to updating their preventive strategies based on new epidemiological data, in response to shifting circulating serotypes and rising antimicrobial resistance."

Dr Kanya Ayu Paramastri from Indonesia highlighted the role of digital communication.

“In this current era, providing accurate and consistent medical information from official sources plays a critical role in elevating awareness and supporting communities to make informed decisions in pediatric healthcare.”

Professor Phan Trọng Lân, Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, remarked that the symposium successfully created opportunities for domestic and international experts to connect preventive measures and clinical care.

“One of the important values of symposium as PediaConnect is creating opportunities for both domestic and international experts to share data, real-world experiences and novel approaches to infectious disease prevention," Prof Lân said.

The symposium was co-organised by the Vietnam Pediatric Association, and the Vietnam National Children's Hospital, and Pfizer Việt Nam.

Mark Kuo, Country Manager of Pfizer Việt Nam and Thailand, said through the event, Pfizer is deeply committed to serving as a trusted partner to the healthcare systems in Việt Nam and the ASEAN region, working alongside healthcare professionals to foster scientific dialogue, update medical data, and exchange practical experience in pediatric preventive medicine. — VNS