Pneumonia Will Kill 922 000 Children Before December – WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday warned that Pneumonia will kill an estimated 922 000 children by the end of 2015, adding that the disease accounts for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years old.

In the warning a copy which was made available to our correspondent in New York, the United Nations agency hinted that the disease could be prevented by immunization, adequate nutrition and by addressing environmental factors.

Furthermore, WHO said that Pneumonia caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics, but only one third of children with pneumonia receive the antibiotics they need.

The agency also made it known that the disease affects children and families everywhere, but is most prevalent in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. It added that children can be protected from pneumonia, it can be prevented with simple interventions, and treated with low-cost, low-tech medication and care.

On possible transmission, WHO said Pneumonia can be spread in a number of ways, noting that the viruses and bacteria that are commonly found in a child’s nose or throat, can infect the lungs if they are inhaled.

“They may also spread via air-borne droplets from a cough or sneeze. In addition, pneumonia may spread through blood, especially during and shortly after birth. More research needs to be done on the different pathogens causing pneumonia and the ways they are transmitted, as this is of critical importance for treatment and prevention” it also said.

On the Risk factors, WHO said while most healthy children can fight the infection with their natural defences, children whose immune systems are compromised are at higher risk of developing pneumonia.

It continued that a child’s immune system may be weakened by malnutrition or undernourishment, especially in infants who are not exclusively breastfed, stressing that pre-existing illnesses, such as symptomatic HIV infections and measles, also increase a child’s risk of contracting pneumonia.

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.