LAHORE: Pneumonia accounts for 92,000 annual deaths in children under five year age in Pakistan, making it the leading killer of children,’ says health experts during a press briefing on Thursday to mark the upcoming World Pneumonia Day being held tomorrow (November 12).
”Globally, pneumonia is one of the biggest killers of children causing 16% deaths under five. It is alarming that Pakistan is among top five countries which account for 99% of childhood pneumonia cases,” said Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) President Dr Tahir Masood.
“Children under five with severe cases of pneumonia may struggle to breathe, with their chests moving in or retracting during inhalation. Young infants may suffer convulsions, unconsciousness, hypothermia, lethargy and feeding problem,’ Dr. Tahir explained.
He added that pneumonia was caused by a number of infectious agents including viruses, bacteria and fungi. The most common causes of pneumonia amongst children include streptococcus pneumoniae and haemophilus influenzae Type-b.
Dr Tayyaba Khawar Butt of the Service Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) said, “Preventing children from developing pneumonia in the first place is critical to reducing death toll. Fortunately pneumonia vaccine was introduced in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in October, 2012, and this achievement made Pakistan to become the first South Asian country to include pneumonia vaccine in its national immunisation programme,” she added. It may be mentioned that the latest survey reports suggest immunisation coverage above 86%.
However, she regretted that despite all efforts vaccination coverage was not optimistic and a lot more needed to be done to increase the coverage. “Parents need to be educated about getting their children vaccinated as immunisation was a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases.” She added that vaccines could prevent a significant portion of pneumonia cases from occurring.”
Separately, Punjab Health Services director general said, “All-out efforts are being made to reduce child mortality due to pneumonia. He highlighted some of the steps taken by the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department to protect, prevent and treat pneumonia in the province.
Pneumonia can be prevented by immunisation, adequate nutrition and by addressing environmental factors, he said, adding that a child survival group comprising experts in was formed to chalk out workable strategy.
Pneumonia can be prevented by immunization, adequate nutrition, and by addressing environmental factors. He said a child survival group of technical experts in the Directorate General Health Services was formed to chalk out workable strategy.
“In Punjab a new initiative to provide medical commodities to children suffering with pneumonia and diarrhoea has been initiated. The plan is being tested in five districts with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,” he added.
EPI Director Dr Munir Ahmed said Punjab was able to increase routine immunisation progress from 64 % to 86 % as per the Neilsen Survey. By effective use of technology, the vaccinator attendance has improved from mid 50s to 97% as of last month, he maintained.
Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rana said the recommendations of the Global Action Plan were being implemented through a project initially piloted in five districts. As part of the plan, necessary guidelines and training material is being updated. “In order to facilitate provision of antibiotics, dispersible tablets are being introduced in place of syrups.”
It is estimated that annually more than five million cases of pneumonia are reported in children. Pneumonia affects children and families everywhere, but is most prevalent in marginalised population characterised by illiteracy, low economic status and geographically isolated inhabitations.
Adviser to Chief Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that Punjab is making all out efforts to reduce mortality related to pneumonia.
Also, the WHO and UNICEF have developed an integrated Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD) that aims at accelerating pneumonia control with a combination of interventions to protect, prevent, and treat pneumonia in children.
The GAPPD was signed by Pakistan in 2013. A number of countries including Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia have planned to intensify actions for the control of pneumonia. Many more have integrated diarrhoea and pneumonia specific action into their national child health and child survival strategies.