World Pneumonia Day

To mark World Pneumonia Day, the Global Conference for World Pneumonia Day will be held on 12 November every year, and will underscore the importance of education and prevention to reduce deaths from the world’s leading infectious killer. Additionally, for the very first time and in support of PneumoLight’s Worldwide Pneumonia Awareness Campaign, 216 landmarks from 47 countries will light up in blue to draw attention to the importance of a disease whose severity is underestimated.

What is Pneumonia?

The lungs are made of multiple, elastic air sacs, and pneumonia is an infectious lung disease where these air sacs are inflamed leading to the reduced functionality of the lungs. The causes of pneumonia are:

• Infection by either bacteria, virus, fungus, or parasites is the most common cause of pneumonia. The air sacs fill up with fluid or pus, leading to cough, difficulty in breathing, chest pain worsening with each breath, and high fever and shaking chills. 
• The infection spreads mainly by being in close proximity to the infected person – by cough droplets with sneezing or coughing.  
• As it is one of the major life-threatening infections in children under the age of 5, the idea was to raise awareness about the disease and the fact that it can be prevented.
• Generate awareness among donors to continue to help in the fight against pneumonia.
• Spread awareness about preventing and treating pneumonia and gather additional support that is required for the same.
• The message is to spread the information to all involved – the general public, healthcare professionals, donors, and policymakers. 
• Protect: The protection against pneumonia starts right at birth with continued breastfeeding for at least the first six months of life. The child also should have good quality nutrition with adequate minerals and vitamins, which are essential for good immunity, and can fight the disease.
• Prevent: Vaccines can help in preventing the most severe forms of pneumonia, be it streptococcal, whooping cough, or measles. In addition, practices like regular handwashing, maintaining clean air and water are also essential to prevent pneumonia.
• Treat: Diagnosis at the right time followed by timely intervention with antibiotics and oxygen (if required) helps improve prognosis and speedy recovery. If the diagnosis is delayed, then treatment is complicated, and prognosis also worsens.

Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of deaths in children under five years old despite being easily preventable and treatable. Although vaccines and other preventative efforts are decreasing the burden of the disease, much more work is still required. Those living in poor communities are at highest risk of pneumonia. Every child, regardless of where they are born, deserves access to lifesaving vaccines and medicines.