Pneumonia epidemic is deadliest child killer, say aid groups

Published November 13, 2019
Belgium landmark Manneken-Pis statue is pictured wearing an outfit to mark World Pneumonia Day in Brussels on November 12, 2019, as Pneumonia is the world's deadliest child killer, with a "forgotten epidemic" claiming one young life every 39 seconds, international health and children's agencies warned today. — AFP
Belgium landmark Manneken-Pis statue is pictured wearing an outfit to mark World Pneumonia Day in Brussels on November 12, 2019, as Pneumonia is the world's deadliest child killer, with a "forgotten epidemic" claiming one young life every 39 seconds, international health and children's agencies warned today. — AFP

PARIS: Pneumonia is the world’s deadliest child killer, with a “forgotten epidemic” claiming one young life every 39 seconds, international health and children’s agencies warned on Tuesday.

The disease is preventable but still kills more children — 800,000 under the age of five last year — than any other infection, they said in a statement to mark World Pneumonia Day.

“Every day, nearly 2,200 children under the age of five die from pneumonia, a curable and mostly preventable disease,” Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of Unicef, said in a joint statement.

“Strong global commitment and increased investments are critical to the fight against this disease... Only through cost-effective protective, preventative and treatment interventions delivered to where children are will we be able to truly save millions of lives.”

The numbers make grim reading and compare with 437,000 under-fives dying last year due to diarrhoea and 272,000 to malaria.

Five countries accounted for more than half of the child pneumonia deaths -- Nigeria with 162,000, India 127,000, Pakistan 58,000, the Democratic Republic of Congo 40,000 and Ethiopia 32,000.

Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, and leaves children fighting for breath as their lungs fill with pus and fluid.

Children with weakened immune systems and those living in areas with high levels of air pollution and unsafe water are most at risk.

The disease can be prevented with vaccines and is easily treated with low-cost antibiotics if properly diagnosed.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.