Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : November 12, 2014 3:30 PM IST
November 12 is World Pneumonia Day 2014
Pneumonia can prove to be fatal for children below five years of age and is considered to be a major risk factor contributing towards increasing mortality among the little ones. This is the reason why health officials and pediatricians are focusing on the importance of vaccination and other preventive measures to curb the problem during this winter season.
According to the statistics shared by WHO around 1, 20, 00 children below five years of age die to pneumonia in India. Pneumonia is an acute respiratory disease in which lungs are infected by bacteria, virus, fungus or parasites. Recent reports of the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that streptococcus pneumonia is the prime cause for the hospitalisation and death of many children below five years of age, explained PSN Murthy, secretary, Vijayawada branch of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) to the English daily Indian Express. (Read: 9 symptoms of pneumonia you should know about)
Who are at risk?
The risk of contacting pneumonia is high among infants, neonate, premature babies aged between 24 to 59 months with underdeveloped lungs, narrow airways, poor nutrition and immature immune systems. Apart from this, unclean environs, malnutrition, lack of breast feeding increase the mortality rate of pneumonia-affected children. Experts said that one can reduce pneumonia deaths with timely vaccination and proper treatment. (Read: Diarrhoea and Pneumonia: The biggest killer diseases of kids!)
What measures should be taken to prevent pneumonia-affected death?
According to Dr MA Rahman, professor and HoD of paediatrics, Siddhartha Medical College, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) are the two vaccines which prevent pneumonia. However, 70 percent of the people cannot afford the PCV vaccine as it costs around 3,500 while Hib is a rare vaccine available only in private hospitals. He also suggests that infants should get vaccinated in four doses within one-and-a-half year, to prevent pneumonia. (Read: Understanding pneumonia causes, symptoms,vaccine, prevention, treatment)
What is the aim of Fight pneumonia and save a child campaign?
To create awareness on the disease, IAP is launching Fight pneumonia and save a child campaign on Wednesday as November 12 is observed as World Pneumonia day. Besides this, the government is set to introduce the Pentavalent vaccine , which includes Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine, to prevent pneumonia. In the district, around 3 percent of infant deaths are caused by pneumonia; keeping this in mind, the government is planning to provide Pentavalent vaccine for free in all government hospitals informed Krishna district medical health officer J Sarasajakshi.
Image source: Getty Images
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