World Pneumonia Day: Paediatricians call for vaccination of children against pneumonia

Preventing the illness will reduce child mortality in the country, say experts

KARACHI: Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) Sindh President and National Institute of Child Health (NICH) Director Prof Dr Jamal Raza has urged parents to have their children undergo mandatory vaccination against pneumonia. He was speaking on the occasion of World Pneumonia Day which was observed on Sunday.

Pneumonia is caused by a number of infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria and fungi, said Prof Raza. "Despite the fact that free-of-cost vaccination is available under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in the country to prevent pneumonia, [the disease] continues to kill children," the NICH director regretted.

Prof Raza added that the most common causes of pneumonia amongst children included  Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b that could be easily prevented and through adequate vaccination against the disease.



According to the World Health Organisation's estimates, pneumonia accounts for 16% of the total child deaths making it the leading killer of children less than five years of age globally.

"Globally, Pneumonia accounts for more than 920,000 deaths among children under five years and Pakistan is among five countries which account for 99% of childhood pneumonia cases," said Prof Raza.

Pneumonia is a form acute respiratory infection that affects lungs. When a person is affected by pneumonia, their lungs' alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, making breathing painful and limiting oxygen intake.



Dow University of Health Sciences Head of Paediatrics Department Dr Khalid Shafi said children under five years may struggle to breathe if they suffer from pneumonia. "Young infants may suffer convulsions, unconsciousness, hypothermia, lethargy and feeding problem," he said.

"Preventing children from developing pneumonia is critical to reducing its death toll," said Dr Jalal Akber, professor of paediatrics at Baqai Medical University. The senior child specialist also called for vaccination against pneumonia so that children could be saved from the disease that can prove fatal. Pneumonia vaccine was introduced in Pakistan in the EPI programme in October, 2012, he said

Most of the children brought with pneumonia are malnourished, which is very alarming, Dr Akber said.

"Proper nutrition, clean drinking water and vaccines are important to fight pneumonia," said PPA Karachi Chapter Dr Jameel Akhter. He emphasised that preventing pneumonia through vaccination averts treatment cost and allows children to become healthy.