Pneumonia kills 92,000 Pakistani kids every year

Islamabad : Even though free vaccination is available in Pakistan, pneumonia is killing as many as 92,000 children under five years of age every year, leading pediatricians have flagged in a statement released in connection with World Pneumonia Day, which is annually observed on November 12.

According to World Health Organization estimates, pneumonia accounts for 16% 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 among children under five years of age. An estimated 99 percent of children who die of pneumonia live in developing countries. Dr. Tabish Hazir, former Head of Pediatrics at PIMS said, “Pneumonia is a form acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs. Children under five with severe cases of pneumonia may struggle to breathe, with their chests moving in or retracting during inhalation (known as ‘lower chest wall in drawing’). Young infants may suffer convulsions, unconsciousness, hypothermia, lethargy and feeding problem.”

Pneumonia is caused by a number of infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria and fungi. The most common bacterial causes of pneumonia amongst children include: Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Dr. Tabish said, “Preventing children from developing pneumonia in the first place is critical to reducing its death toll. Fortunately, Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (pneumonia vaccine) was introduced in Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in October, 2012, making Pakistan the first South Asian country to do so.

“Proper nutrition, clean drinking water and vaccines are important to fight pneumonia. Vaccines against pneumococcus, Hib, pertussis, and measles can prevent a significant portion of pneumonia cases from ever occurring,” said Dr. Rai Muhammad Asghar, President of the Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) Center and Dean of Paediatrics at Rawalpindi Medical University and Allied Hospital Dr. Asghar added that preventing pneumonia averts treatment costs and other losses due to illness, and allows children to become healthy, productive adults. Vaccines hold the promise of saving millions of children from dying of pneumonia. “Every stakeholder including media, doctors and advocacy groups will have to play their role in increasing awareness and advocating the need of vaccination to help prevent future generations from this deadly disease,” he concluded.