Pneumonia is the deadliest disease for children under the age of five, killing about 800,000 children each year. In many parts of the world, the United Nations Children’s Fund states, a child dies of pneumonia every 39 seconds. Termed as the “disease of inequality”, the disease is concentrated in poor populations around the world. This is because the disease is completely preventable and vaccines are also available.
However, the disease is neglected in terms of funding to improve survival rates, as it receives only three percent of global infectious disease research funding, according to UNICEF. World Pneumonia Day is observed annually on 12 November to fight this neglect and to create awareness about what has been done and what remains to be done about the disease while creating a platform for the global health community.
World Pneumonia Day was established and first celebrated in 2009 by the Stop Pneumonia Initiative. The annual observance seeks to raise global awareness of the disease and advocate for global action.
The Stop Pneumonia Initiative is run by the Every Breath Counts Coalition, a public-private partnership to help governments around the world reduce pneumonia deaths. The partnership includes more than 140 community-based organizations, government agencies, educational institutions and foundations.
In 2013, the WHO launched a campaign to end pneumonia and diarrheal deaths, another major fatal disease for children, by 2025, called The Integrated Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhea (GAPPD). Is.
An acute respiratory infection, pneumonia affects the lungs. Our lungs have small sacs called alveoli that fill with air when we breathe. In the alveoli, the blood exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide with the filled air.
In a person with pneumonia, these bags are filled with fluid and pus with symptoms such as cough, difficulty in breathing, rapid breathing, fever. Viruses as well as bacteria and fungi can cause pneumonia. Older people with severe covid infections can develop pneumonia.
According to UNICEF, proper vaccination can help prevent pneumonia and even low-cost antibiotics can cure the disease if properly diagnosed.
read all breaking news, breaking news And coronavirus news Here. follow us on Facebook, Twitter And Wire,
,