Last year, pneumonia killed a child every 39 seconds in the world, alerted five health or children’s defense organizations this Tuesday, November 12, on the occasion of the world day dedicated to this disease.
Pneumonia, that child-killing respiratory disease. Last year, it was the first cause of infectious mortality in young children in the world. “Pneumonia claimed the lives of more than 800,000 children under the age of five last year, or one every 39 seconds,” five health or child advocacy organizations worry in a press release published this Tuesday, November 12 on the occasion of world pneumonia day. Among them, UNICEF, the NGO Save the Children or the Gavi Vaccination Alliance. “Most of these deaths affect children under the age of two, almost 153,000 of whom are in their first month of life,” they continue, calling for “global action” against pneumonia.
“It is a forgotten global epidemic that requires an urgent international response. Millions of children are dying from lack of vaccines, antibiotics and oxygen treatment,” warns Kevin Watkins of Save the Children. According to these organizations, more than half of the children who die of pneumonia live in five countries: Nigeria (162,000), India (127,000), Pakistan (58,000), the Democratic Republic of Congo ( 40,000) and Ethiopia (32,000).
And unfortunately, these deaths often occur because “only one in four caregivers knows the two main symptoms of pneumonia”, which often leads to care being taken too late in developing countries. This acute respiratory infection can be caused by bacteria, viruses or microscopic fungi. When a person has the disease, the alveoli of the lungs are filled with pus and fluid. This makes his breathing painful and much faster than usual.
Integrating treatments into homes in developing countries
“It is possible to expand medical coverage at relatively low cost. It is estimated that if antibiotic treatment were universally applied to children with pneumonia, nearly 600,000 lives could be saved each year at an expense of $600 million. In addition, it would be possible to save more than double the lives, or 1.3 million, if both prevention and treatment were universal”, deplore the organizations in their press release. “Cotrimoxazole and amoxicillin are effective drugs against bacterial pathogens and are often used to treat children with pneumonia in developing countries,” they point out.
Recognizing that parents cannot always leave their homes to take a sick child to hospital, organizations are advocating for a “community approach” to bring treatment into homes. “It is important to note that measures to scale up community-based treatment must be seen in the context of scaling up treatment for diarrheal diseases, HIV/AIDS and malaria – all of which are part of integrated programs in favor of child survival”, recall the organizations which will set up a global forum on childhood pneumonia at the end of January 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.
Appropriate food, good dental hygiene and a higher vaccination rate
Of course, prevention is key to avoiding pneumonia-related childhood deaths. To avoid developing this disease, adequate nutrition is essential: breastfeeding for young children, vitamin A supplements and zinc consumption. Reducing air pollution in homes and washing hands regularly could also decrease infections that cause illness in children.
In 2016, an American study also showed that good oral health reduces the risk of pneumonia (in adults too). People who visit the dentist regularly have an 84% lower risk of developing pneumonia, because some of the strains that cause the disease (most often streptococci, staphylococci or even haemophilus) are naturally present in the mouth. “We cannot completely rid the mouth of its bacteria, but good oral hygiene can limit their quantity”, explained the researchers.
Finally, the increase in vaccination could greatly reduce the risks. Recently, the introduction of a vaccine against the 13 most dangerous types of pneumococcal bacteria has raised concerns that other pneumococcal bacteria not covered by the vaccine may become dangerous. A seven-year study, the results of which were published last February showed that this was not the case, especially in France. Experts therefore call for more vaccination against pneumonia.
In France, the health insurance website recommends that you absolutely consult a doctor in the event of a fever attack accompanied by a cough with discharge of mucus or tinged with blood, a feeling of pain in the chest during deep breathing or a cold or of bronchitis that is not improving. After examining you, your doctor may order a chest X-ray to establish the diagnosis.
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