Our first seminar of the year was held on 23 March 2024 at Tower Ballroom, Shangri-La Singapore. Titled “Meet the Infectious Disease Specialists – Update on Treating and Preventing Respiratory Tract Infections,” the seminar featured presentations from the following speakers:
- Dr. Lam Mun San – Seasonal Viral Infections: Focus on Influenza
- Dr. Wong Sin Yew – Impact of RSV Infections in The Elderly
- Dr. Ian Wee Liang En – COVID-19 Update: What’s New
- Dr. Kenneth Chan – Improving Serotype Coverage for Pneumococcal Infections
Dr. Lam started off the seminar with a comprehensive overview of seasonal viruses; particularly emphasising on influenza. She delved into the epidemiology, complications, and vaccination strategies for influenza, underscoring the importance of targeted vaccination efforts, especially among high-risk groups which included the immunocompromised, elderly and children.
Subsequently, Dr. Wong spoke on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), stressing its substantial impact on elderly populations. He highlighted the challenges in diagnosing RSV infections and discussed preventive measures, including vaccination and monoclonal antibody therapy.
Dr. Ian Wee, Consultant, Infectious Diseases at SGH, our first guest speaker then provided a detailed update on COVID-19 vaccines, their efficacy, and the emerging landscape of COVID-19 antivirals. He also discussed on the prevalence of long-COVID in Singapore and the impact of vaccination and anti-viral interventions on mitigating its effects.
Finally, our other guest speaker, Dr. Kenneth Chan, Senior Consultant Respiratory Physician and Intensivist with Respiratory Medical Associates, presented on methods aimed at broadening serotype coverage for pneumococcus, supporting the adoption of a 20-valent protein conjugate vaccine to further reduce the morbidity and mortality linked with pneumococcal disease. He emphasized the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination in reducing invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia.
The seminar received positive feedback with active engagement in the Q&A sessions and numerous family physicians expressing interest in future sessions covering infectious disease topics.
We express our appreciation to Pfizer for providing the educational grant for this event. Additionally, we would like to extend our thanks to all our guest speakers for delivering insightful presentations and assistance with CME for family physicians; as well as to the 178 healthcare providers who graced our event and made it a success.