Pneumonia is biggest infectious killer of children worldwide – UNICEF

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) says pneumonia is the biggest infectious killer of children worldwide which kills more children than any other infectious disease.

The Organisation said every year, pneumonia claimed the lives of more than 725,000 children under the age of five including around 190,000 newborns, who were particularly vulnerable to infection.

“Every 43 seconds at least one child dies from pneumonia. All these deaths are preventable. It is inexcusable that thousands of children are unable to access the essential health services and treatments, which can prevent pneumonia and save their lives.”

UNICEF in a recent publication said urgent action was needed now to end preventable deaths caused by pneumonia and change the course of the disease and keep every child alive.

The Organisation called for the strengthening and prioritisation of routine immunisation and scaling up coverage of Pneumococcal (PCV), measles and Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) vaccines to above 90 per cent to ensure every child was protected from pneumonia.

The Organisation said there must be improved basic oxygen access and use, so no child was left fighting for breath while investment was made in the prevention and treatment of severe acute malnutrition, to reduce child deaths from pneumonia

UNICEF further called for investing in health workers and infrastructure to put essential health services within easy reach of families adding that “health workers much have the right training, medicines and diagnostic tools.”

It also noted the continued action to engage and empower communities to support prevention and treatment.

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection of the lungs and does not have one single cause. It can develop from either bacteria, viruses, or fungi in the air.

Symptoms of the disease include coughing, trouble breathing and fever while children with pneumonia usually experience fast breathing, or their lower chest may draw in or retract when they inhale (in a healthy person, the chest expands during inhalation).

The disease is contagious and can be spread through airborne particles (a cough or sneeze) and it can also be spread through other fluids, like blood during childbirth, or from contaminated surfaces.

Health workers can diagnose pneumonia through a physical exam, including checking for abnormal breathing patterns and listening to the child’s lungs. Sometimes they may use chest x-rays or blood tests for diagnosis.

In countries without strong health care systems such as few doctors, lack of access to chest x-rays and laboratories, health workers often rely on diagnosing pneumonia by counting the number of breaths the child takes per minute.

The treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia. In developing countries, the largest number of pneumonia cases are caused by bacteria and can be treated with low-cost antibiotics.

Oxygen is an essential and life-saving treatment for children and newborns suffering from severe pneumonia because the inflammation of their lungs prevents enough oxygen from entering their bloodstream to be circulated to the rest of the body.

Access to oxygen has for a long time been unavailable to those who need it since in many countries without strong health systems, oxygen is only available at higher level health facilities and hospitals. And the pressure of COVID-19 on oxygen systems has compounded pre-existing gaps.

Preventing pneumonia is possible through increasing protective measures, such as ensuring newborns and young children are breastfed early, vaccinated, have access to clean water, good nutrition, and limited exposure to air pollution.

Studies have shown that good hygiene practices including improved handwashing with soap reduces the risk of pneumonia by lowering exposure to bacteria.

Pneumonia caused by bacteria is easily preventable with vaccines. However, 40 per cent of children around the world are not fully protected with the primary vaccine to prevent pneumonia – the Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine.

In addition, other vaccines such as Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis and measles-containing vaccines and Hemophilus Influenza B (Hib) vaccine protects children from pneumonia.

The countries with the largest number of child pneumonia deaths are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Child deaths from pneumonia are concentrated in the world’s poorest countries. Within these countries, it is the most deprived and marginalised children who suffer the most.

Source: GNA

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