MADAM Sufiah Sugiman had heard about pneumococcal disease (PD) and was aware that a vaccination could protect her children against it.

But she put it off, thinking that compulsory vaccinations were enough.

'If it is that important, the government would have made it mandatory for all children to be vaccinated and protected against PD,' said the housewife in her 30s.

She now regrets her decision not to vaccinate her daughter against PD.

In 2006, when Ummu Iqlima Jufri was 4, she almost died of pneumonia. A common cold turned deadly within hours and she was rushed to hospital with a persistent high fever.

The little girl was crying and clinging to her mother, making it difficult for doctors and nurses to go near her.

A surgery had to be carried out to drain fluid from her lungs.

Madam Sugiman ended up spending over $30,000 on hospital bills.

Now she makes it a point to tell her family and friends about her experience so she can help save some children from unnecessary suffering.

And that is why she joined the Friends Against Pneumococcal Disease group to help spread the message.

The PD vaccine costs about $160 to $180 for each dose, depending on the clinic. And newborns should be vaccinated four times between six weeks and 15 months old.

This story was first published in The New Paper on Sept 1, 2008.