Commemorating Diabetes Day And Pneumonia Day, Eka Hospital Holds Health Talk With PT Pfizer Indonesia

Dr. Rudy Kurniawan. (Photo: Special)

JAKARTA - As an effort to raise awareness about preventing and managing diabetes and protecting oneself from pneumonia, Eka Hospital Group held a special Health Talk event commemorating Diabetes Day and Pneumonia Day which falls in November.

This Health Talk Eka Hospital collaborated with PT. Pfizer Indonesia with the theme Usir Worried about the Risk of Pneumonia in Diabetic Persons and presented speakers dr. Rudy Kurniawan, Sp.PD, MM, MARS, Dip.TH, Dip.SN, DCD, FRSPH as a specialist in Internal Medicine & Travel Health Expert Eka Hospital BSD.

Diabetes is one of the diseases that has attracted the attention of the Indonesian people because it causes unrest in several people, especially those with a history of diabetes in their families. Diabetes is a disease with a high health risk, from data obtained in 2021 the number of people with diabetes is 19.47 million.

As is known, diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels (> 200 mg/dL). This condition not only affects the body's metabolic system, but can also increase risks to various other diseases, including pneumonia which can become more serious in individuals with diabetes.

Pneumonia or commonly known as pneumonia or better known as wet lungs is a medical condition where the lungs have an infection that can be caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses and has the potential to cause the lungs to be filled with mucus or pus which can be life-threatening.

Dr. Rudy explained that everyone has a risk of pneumonia, and this risk increases in infants under 2 years old and adults over 50 years old. Therefore, pneumonia vaccines are highly recommended because they aim to provide stimulus to the body to produce antibodies that can fight bacteria and viruses.

The administration of the pneumonia vaccine has become the standard issued by the International Diabetes Federation as one of the types of vaccines recommended for diabetics around the world. In addition to pneumonia vaccines, influenza vaccines are also recommended vaccines for diabetics, this is because pneumonia is also common due to influenza infection. This vaccine is also usually recommended for travelers who plan to travel.

"Whether type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, a person with diabetes will always be at a higher risk of developing pneumonia due to a declining immune system, therefore they must be extra vigilant in maintaining their health," said dr. Rudy in front of a health talk event, Tuesday 28 November.

Pneumonia can occur to anyone regardless of age, especially people who have lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, alcoholism, and exposure to smoke, gas, as well as harmful chemicals. This includes comorbid factors and congenital diseases such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, kidney, diabetes, and asthma.

Therefore, people who have a high risk of pneumonia are recommended to get the pneumonia vaccine. Conjugate pneumonia vaccines can be given to adults ranging from age 18 years and over and given once in a lifetime. The pneumonia vaccine itself can be obtained in health care facilities such as clinics and hospitals.

Separately, the Policy & Public Affairs Director of Pfizer Indonesia and the Philippines, Bambang Chriswanto, said that Pfizer fully supports the health talk organized by Eka Hospital Group and hopes that this activity can help educate the public about the potential risk of pneumonia.

"As a company that focuses on patients, we are always committed to contributing to partnerships in increasing public knowledge about various health issues, including pneumonia, collaborating with the government, health associations, public figures, health facilities, and other stakeholders," he said.