KGH featured in The Lancet for child health research

King George Hospital has received international recognition after its contribution to a major child health research study was featured in the reputed medical journal The Lancet.

The multi-centre study, undertaken by seven leading medical institutions across the country, examined the scope for expanding the protection offered by the pneumococcal vaccine used to prevent pneumonia in children.

KGH was the only participating institution from Andhra Pradesh, while the remaining centres were from Karnataka, Telangana, and Haryana.

A total of 400 children were covered under the study, of whom 148 were examined at KGH under the supervision of Dr. Chakravarthi, Head of the Department of Paediatrics. The research was conducted during 2023 and 2024 and was published in March in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia.

Pneumonia continues to be one of the major life-threatening diseases among children in India. It can lead to serious complications such as meningitis and sepsis if left untreated. The disease is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Dr. Chakravarthi said the expanded vaccine coverage was found to offer stronger protection against pneumonia and related infections. The study also established effectiveness against additional strains, including 22F and 33F. He said the findings were expected to improve child survival rates and help reduce mortality.

Satya Kumar Yadav, Minister for Health, lauded Dr. Chakravarthi for his contribution and said his work had set an example for the medical fraternity. He observed that greater participation of doctors in research would help bring advanced healthcare services to patients and urged medical professionals to take part in such initiatives.

KGH Superintendent Dr. Vani and Andhra Medical College Principal Sandhya Devi also congratulated Dr. Chakravarthi on the publication of the research paper in the international journal.