It is a day set aside by the United Nations to bring the health crisis to public attention while encouraging policy makers and health professionals to combat the disease.
Our correspondent sought expert opinions on the disease described as one of the biggest killer diseases
Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia released by WHO and UNICEF says globally, pneumonia sickens one hundred and fifty-five million children, under five years and kills one point six million each year.
This makes pneumonia, which is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs, making breathing painful and limiting oxygen intake, the number one killer of children under five, claiming more young lives than AIDS, malaria and measles.
In an interview, Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Emmanuel Okafor explained that nearly one in five children die globally from pneumonia every year, though he said with improved sanitation, vaccines and antibiotics pneumonia is treatable.
He further said that the State government has introduced Nimocochal vaccine to check the incidence of the ailment, especially in Children which is caused by a variety of organisms, pointing out that one million children’s lives could be saved every year if prevention and treatment interventions for pneumonia were widely introduced.
He warned that the risk factors include cigarettes smoking, respiratory infection, chronic lung disease or diabetes, among others
Dr. Beckie Tagbo, a Chief Consultant Pediatrician at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, listed cough, fever, shortness of breath and cold, and difficulty in swallowing as some of the common symptoms of pneumonia, saying the symptoms could be mild or severe depending on the health condition and age of the patient.
She said that there are effective vaccines against the two most common causes of pneumonia, which include Haemophilus influenzae type B and Streptococcus pneumonia.
Dr. Obinna Aniagboso who said that the prevalence rate in adult seem stable, advised all to be immunized against the deadly disease as well as consult their doctors during any outbreak of the infection.
On this special day, people are asked to help fight the disease by participating in education programs, voluntary work or contributing through donations.
Our correspondent sought expert opinions on the disease described as one of the biggest killer diseases
Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia released by WHO and UNICEF says globally, pneumonia sickens one hundred and fifty-five million children, under five years and kills one point six million each year.
This makes pneumonia, which is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs, making breathing painful and limiting oxygen intake, the number one killer of children under five, claiming more young lives than AIDS, malaria and measles.
In an interview, Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Emmanuel Okafor explained that nearly one in five children die globally from pneumonia every year, though he said with improved sanitation, vaccines and antibiotics pneumonia is treatable.
He further said that the State government has introduced Nimocochal vaccine to check the incidence of the ailment, especially in Children which is caused by a variety of organisms, pointing out that one million children’s lives could be saved every year if prevention and treatment interventions for pneumonia were widely introduced.
He warned that the risk factors include cigarettes smoking, respiratory infection, chronic lung disease or diabetes, among others
Dr. Beckie Tagbo, a Chief Consultant Pediatrician at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, listed cough, fever, shortness of breath and cold, and difficulty in swallowing as some of the common symptoms of pneumonia, saying the symptoms could be mild or severe depending on the health condition and age of the patient.
She said that there are effective vaccines against the two most common causes of pneumonia, which include Haemophilus influenzae type B and Streptococcus pneumonia.
Dr. Obinna Aniagboso who said that the prevalence rate in adult seem stable, advised all to be immunized against the deadly disease as well as consult their doctors during any outbreak of the infection.
On this special day, people are asked to help fight the disease by participating in education programs, voluntary work or contributing through donations.