World Pneumonia Day is observed today

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Streptococcus pneumoniae   Image/CDC

Killing more than 1 million children annually,pneumonia is by far the leading cause of death in children under five years of age. This is why the observation of World Pneumonia Day is so important in raising awareness about this deadly killer of children, according to the Prevent Pneumonia Facebook page Nov. 12.Established in 2009, World Pneumonia Day is marked every year on November 12th to:

• Raise awareness about pneumonia, the world’s leading killer of children under the age of five;
• Promote interventions to protect against, prevent and treat pneumonia; and
• Generate action to combat pneumonia.

The Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia provides leadership for World Pneumonia Day and is comprised of over 140 NGOs, academic institutions, government agencies and foundations.Pneumonia is one of the most solvable problems in global health and yet a child dies from the infection every 20 seconds.The Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia is working to save millions of lives through protecting children against pneumonia with proper nutrition through exclusive breastfeeding, preventing pneumonia with new and existing vaccines, particularly Hib vaccine and Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and treating pneumonia by training health workers to recognize symptoms of pneumonia and increasing access to appropriate antibiotic treatment.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When an individual has pneumonia, the alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake.Some key facts about pneumonia include:

• Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children worldwide.
• Pneumonia kills an estimated 1.2 million children under the age of five years every year – more than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
• Pneumonia can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) are the top two bacterial causes of pneumonia, while respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common viral cause of pneumonia.
• Pneumonia can be prevented by immunization, adequate nutrition and by addressing environmental factors.
• Pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, but around 30% of children with pneumonia receive the antibiotics they need.

How can you help with the fight against childhood pneumonia?Follow the World Pneumonia Day campaigns on Facebook and Twitter. In addition, you can donate to the GAVI Alliance where just $10 can provide one child with a lifetime of protection.For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page