It is indeed worrying to note that we have not yet started a vaccination campaign against pneumonia.
KARACHI: Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria. Globally, pneumonia causes the most deaths among children below the age of five. It is not just a serious ailment but is, in most cases, fatal for children. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children worldwide. It kills an estimated one million children under the age of five years every year — more than those killed by AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Pneumonia can be prevented by immunisation, adequate nutrition and by addressing environmental factors. According to reports, pneumonia claims an innocent child’s life every 30 seconds, which makes it the number one global cause of childhood mortality. According to Unicef, over 24,000 children die of pneumonia in Pakistan annually. Pakistan is the third-largest contributor to paediatric pneumonia cases worldwide.
We must realise that pneumonia is no less lethal a disease than AIDS, cancer and polio. I want to spread added awareness to grab the attention of policymakers and healthcare providers and suggest proposals. If existing government structures and private sector NGOs continue to make focused efforts, like reforming the existing structure of lady health worker programmes and make dedicated and trained teams for pneumonia reduction through public-private partnerships, it will be easier to overcome this issue. I would also like to appeal to the media to throw some light on this state of affairs and press for healthcare reforms.
Despite the combined efforts made under a national programme to contain respiratory ailments among children under five, a surge in pneumonia has constantly been registered in the country during the past decade. Poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, environmental pollution and a low birth weight are the main causes of the spread of pneumonia. Parental neglect is one major cause of child mortality due to lack of awareness. Vaccines can help prevent pneumonia. It is indeed worrying to note that we have not yet started a vaccination campaign against pneumonia with the same dedication as the one we have on polio. It is time to wake up!
Talha Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.
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