World Pneumonia Day observed

Islamabad : Pakistan, like across the globe, marked World Pneumonia Day on Saturday through raising awareness about prevention of the deadly disease of pneumonia that cause numbers of deaths in children annually.

Various departments both public and private, especially hospitals, arranged awareness sessions and seminars to educate the people about the possible prevention measures which can be taken to remain safe from this disease. The day was marked in the year 2009 for the first time and now was celebrated every year to ensure steps to prevent the world from the impacts of the disease. According to the latest WHO data published in 2020, influenza and pneumonia deaths rate reached 83,483 which is 5.72 per cent of total deaths in Pakistan.

WHO states that Pneumonia is the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide but this rate is highest in southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Pneumonia can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. The disease caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics, but only one third of children with pneumonia receive the antibiotics they need. WHO says that effective diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia is critical to improve child survival. Ending preventable diarrhoea- and pneumonia-related deaths is an urgent priority to meet the Sustainable Development Goal targets.

The WHO and UNICEF integrated Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD) aims to accelerate pneumonia control with a combination of interventions to protect, prevent and treat pneumonia in children Pneumonia can be prevented by immunization, adequate nutrition, and by addressing environmental factors, WHO stated. Pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When an individual has pneumonia, the alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake.