‘Pneumonia claims 92,000 lives annually in Pakistan’

LAHORE : Leading pediatricians have stressed the need for vaccination to fight pneumonia, the most deadly disease among children under 5 years of age.

In a statement to with regard to the World Pneumonia Day to be observed on November 12, they said 92,000 children under five years of age died of pneumonia annually in Pakistan.

According to the World Health Organisation estimates, pneumonia accounts for 16 per cent of the total child deaths, making it the leading killer of children less than 5 years of age globally.

Globally pneumonia accounts for more than 920,000 deaths of under 5 children and Pakistan is among top five countries which account for 99 per cent of childhood pneumonia cases, said Dr Tahir Masood, former president, Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) Centre and seasoned pediatrician. Pneumonia is an infection that affects the lungs and it makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake.

He said that vaccines are considered second only to clean drinking water in reducing infectious diseases. “It is very unfortunate that a preventable and treatable illness is claiming so many precious lives,” he added.

Professor Dr Sajid Maqbool said, “We are very fortunate that pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (pneumonia vaccine) was introduced in Pakistan’s EPI programme in October, 2012, and this achievement made Pakistan to become the first South Asian country to include PCV in its national immunisation programme,” he added. He stressed that proper nutrition, clean drinking water and vaccines were important to fight pneumonia.

“We have to increase awareness among parents to fight the deadly disease. Every stakeholder, including doctors, media and advocacy bodies, will have to play their effective role to create awareness and protect our future generation,” he concluded.