World Pneumonia Day 2019: History and facts

Despite being easily preventable and treatable, pneumonia is still one of the leading killers of children under the age of five. On the World Pneumonia Day 2019, let’s know what ethos the day holds.

By: Sukriti Shahi | | Published: November 11, 2019 12:56 pm

Tags: pneumonia disease World Pneumonia Day

On World Pneumonia Day, know where we stand in preventing the disease.

Observed on 12 November every year, World Pneumonia Day has now completed a decade this year. Established in 2009, the World Pneumonia Day was first held by the Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia. It is celebrated to bring out the awareness regarding one of those diseases that impacts millions of children globally. Its motto is to raise awareness, promote interventions to protect, prevent and treat against Pneumonia. It also helps in providing a platform where solutions, additional resources and approaches towards the disease can be discussed. This day is also significant as it helps generating action against other deadly childhood diseases.

World Pneumonia Day 2019 theme is Healthy lungs for all which aims to promote lung health globally. Over 100 organisations take part in the celebration every year, globally. It’s unfortunate that the disease easily preventable still cripples approximately 2000 children a day. The cases are mostly found in South Asia (which includes countries like India, Bangladesh, Indonesia), and West and Central Africa. Most deaths due to the disease are recorded under the age of two years.

World Pneumonia Day: Causes of the infection

Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that impacts lungs severely that at times it’s fatal. In fact, it attacks children at the age when they are developing immunity and it’s not strong. The alveoli in lungs, which usually fills with air while breathing, fills with pus and fluid due to infection. The mortality rate because the disease is mostly related to malnutrition among children belonging to below poverty line. Other poverty-related factors like access to safe and clean water, sanitation, air pollution and poor access to healthcare facilities also contribute to the causes of pneumonia among children.

Though, people are unaware about the fact, but indoor air pollution is responsible for half of the childhood pneumonia deaths. Given the quality of air that people in metro cities are inhaling these days, the importance of this day cannot be ignored. It should definitely make us think what kind of life we are leaving for the future generation to live. The kind of conditions we are living in, the number of cases might increase striking children belonging to better and healthy family backgrounds. It’s unfortunate to see that on the World Pneumonia Day 2019, we are not in a position to promise lesser pneumonia cases.

Key facts regarding Pneumonia

Pneumonia accounts for almost 15 per cent of the deaths of children below five years of age apart from other childhood diseases.
It’s completely preventable and treatable; even with low-cost medicines and treatments. Only requirement is on-time and proper treatment.
Virus, fungi or bacteria–any of these can cause pneumonia.
Immunisation, adequate nutrition and strategically dealing with environmental factors can help prevent the disease.
Government of India (GOI), with other ministries as well as healthcare organisations at grassroot levels ASHA/ANM/Anganwadi promise to work to protect, prevent and treat pneumonia.
In infants, its symptoms include difficulty to eat, may experience convulsions, wheezing, unconsciousness and hypothermia.

Published : November 11, 2019 12:56 pm

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