This year World Pneumonia Day will be held during the Global pandemic which leads to an increase in the ratio of Pneumonia deaths from COVID-19 and other causes.

The good news about this disease is it is easily prevented and treated, but at the same time, many deaths are also attributed to pneumonia in children below 5 yrs.  

What is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can range from mild to so severe conditions. It happens when an infection causes the air sacs in your lungs (alveoli) to fill with fluid or pus. That can make it hard for a person to breathe in enough oxygen to reach the bloodstream.

Anyone can get this lung infection. But younger children of age 2 & people over age 65 are at higher risk because their immune systems not that strong enough to fight it. A person can get pneumonia in one or both lungs.

Causes include bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  If pneumonia results from bacteria or a virus, it may be spread to one another.

Lifestyle habits, like smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol, can also raise chances of pneumonia.

Every child has a right to drink clean water and have fresh air, essential life-saving vaccines, and basic medical facilities. 

World Pneumonia Day has three approaches to protect, prevent, and treat.

•             Protect: The protection against pneumonia starts from birth with continued breastfeeding for at least the first 6 months of life. The child also should feed good quality nutrition with adequate minerals and vitamins, which are good for immunity, & can fight the disease.

•             Prevent: Vaccines can help in preventing the most acute forms of pneumonia, like streptococcal, whooping cough, or measles. In addition, practices like regular handwashing, maintaining clean air and water are also helpful to prevent pneumonia.

•             Treat: Diagnosis at the right time followed by timely taking antibiotics and oxygen (if required) helps improve prognosis and speedy recovery. If the diagnosis is delayed, then treatment may be complicated.