Today is the World Pneumonia Day. It is a matter of grave concern that pneumonia is one of the leading killers of children under five in Pakistan. In fact, reports say that as many as 92000 children die every year from pneumonia, making Pakistan a high-burden country. Pneumonia is basically a lung inflammation that can be caused by a number of bacterial or viral infections that cause breathing difficulties or failures. They are more intense or extreme when they strike children. Those with weakened immunity, due to old age or some disease, also fail to cope with the disease. The unfortunate reality is that pneumonia is preventable with the help of Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI). The anti-pneumonia vaccine was introduced in Pakistan in 2012 and Pakistan has the distinction of becoming the first South Asian country to include this vaccine in its national immunisation programme. The government should have a broad-based approach and improve the overall access to vaccines. Mostly, the areas where healthcare staff is unable to reach the communities or lacks resources to help are the worst affected. There should be awareness campaigns targeting pneumonia and more investment in improving the vaccine coverage. The staff at health facilities are not trained or does not understand the significance of this vaccine. The parents, particularly the mothers, need to be informed of its critical importance. If pneumonia is prevented, particularly in children, it will cut down the cost of treatment of other illnesses as well. The previous government was criticized for not improving the healthcare in Punjab and the rest of the country. If PTI can successfully reduce infant (and maternal) mortality in Pakistan, it can become a feather in its cap. Dr. Yasmin Rashid, the Health minister in Punjab, and Aamir Mehmood Kiani, the federal minister of health, should work to address this challenge and protect the vulnerable children and adults. * Published in Daily Times, November 12th 2018.