Mumbai,  11 Nov, 2016 (GPN) :November 12 is the annual World Pneumonia Day to build support for fighting pneumonia.Pneumonia is a common respiratory illness contracted by kids everywhere, from the United States to South East Asia.

In 2015, it is estimated that annual global child deaths due to pneumonia were 920,000. Out of these deaths, 99% occur in developing countries often in the poorest and hardest to reach areas.

In India, 1 out 6 children under 5 years of age die due to pneumonia each year. Pneumonia is preventable and treatable, yet remains a leading cause of death in children under 5 years old worldwide.

The most vulnerable children are in poor and rural communities, underlining the need to improve equitable access to high quality care, diagnostics, and treatment for all children.

Preventing and treating pneumonia are key components in reducing under 5 mortality. Actively working to prevent and treat pneumonia supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2 i.e. Ending preventable deaths of newborns andchildren under 5 years of age by 2030, which can’t be achieved without continued effort and resources to beat pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a leading cause of pneumonia, and the most severe strains can now be prevented. Introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV), which target pneumococcus, in NationalImmunization Programme of various countries across the world occurred faster than expected. Even so, the pace has been remarkably slow in the largest countries that would have the greatest impact on reducing global pneumococcal deaths.

How can pneumonia be controlled?

Under 5 deaths due to pneumonia can be prevented by adopting interventions suggested by WHO and UNICEF in the Integrated Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD). Controlling childhood pneumonia requires correct and consistent delivery of an integrated package of interventions to Protect, Prevent and Treat.

Briefly, let’s look at protection & preventive measures against Pneumonia

Protect Pneumonia:

BREASTFEEDING & NUTRITION

Protecting against pneumonia with healthy practices saves lives and spares children, families, and communities’ undue suffering and financial burdens. Protection with exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life, adequate nutrition, and vitamin A supplementation has been far-reaching with widespread impact.

Prevent Pneumonia:

Vaccines are known as one of the best public health investments because of their effectiveness in preventing disease and reducing the severity of disease, and as a result preventing mortality. Prevention also includes implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions and reducing indoor air pollution.

VACCINATION

Pneumonia has many causes. Fortunately, most of the deadliest ones can be prevented with vaccines. Children can be protected from developing pneumonia with vaccines against the following pathogens and diseases:

 Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus)

 Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

 Pertussis (whooping cough)

 Measles

For vaccination, it should be the aim of all stakeholders including government, healthcare professionals, parents and

pharmaceutical companies to scale up the access of vaccines to all children. Scaling up coverage of vaccines against Hib and pneumococcus in the world’s 73 poorest countries over the decade of 2011 to 2020 could avert US $51 billion dollars in treatment costs and productivity losses. This increase in vaccine coverage could also save 2.9 million lives and prevent 52 million cases of illness.

Pneumococcal Vaccine – Prioritized in 137 countries across the world.

Thanks to a global effort to finance the pneumococcal vaccine for the world’s poorest countries, 55 out of 73 Gavi-supported countries have introduced the vaccine. Today, a total of 137 out of 194 countries provide PCV to their children, leading to coverage of 37% among the world’s children.

Since PCV’s licensure in 2000, some of the highest pneumonia burden countries are still not using the vaccine in their routine immunization programs. In 2015, the world lost an estimated 331,000 children 1-59 months old due to pneumococcus.

Stopping pneumonia isn’t about luck, it’s about action.

Parents of kids less than 5 years of age should consult pediatricians, to know more about pneumonia and its prevention through vaccination.

Adapted from www.stoppneumonia.org