Maseru, Nov. 11 — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)) says child deaths from pneumonia are concentrated in the world’s poorest countries.
The organisation, in commemoration of World Pneumonia Day which has been marked for November 12, says these are the most deprived and marginalised children who suffer the most because they often have limited or no access to basic health services and are more likely to suffer from other health threats like malnutrition, infectious diseases and polluted air, while at the same time they often live in fragile or humanitarian settings, where often risk factors increase and health systems break down.
It indicates that pneumonia kills more children than any other infectious disease, noting that every 43 seconds at least one child dies from pneumonia, especially in countries where air pollution is high as it can significantly increase the risk of respiratory infection, and studies have proven that half of all pneumonia deaths are attributable to air pollution.
UNICEF further expressed concern that pneumonia caused by bacteria is easily preventable with vaccines, however, forty percent of children around the world are not fully protected with the primary vaccine (Pneumococcal) vaccine, while there are other vaccines that could help in the reduction of numbers of infected children such as Diphteria-Tetanus-Pertussis and other measles containing vaccines and influenza vaccines.
