The Pakistani Spectator

Considered the forgotten killer of children, Pneumonia kills approx. 3.5 million children(under the age of 5) every year.  These are the numbers given by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Question that comes is íf Pneumonia is the biggest killer why does nobody know it’?

Well, there are a couple of reasons as to why this is so.

First, there is a wrong perception about Pneumonia; being an oldie disease, well frankly speaking this is not so. There have been world wide surveys by WHO & UNICEF upon the number of people dying and the facts came up that this diease affects humans on the peaks of ages; i.e. children &  old adults(>65 yrs).

The bacteria that causes pneumonia, the notorious Streptococcus Pneumonie is responsible for not just causing pneumonia but infections like

• Otitis Media / Sinusitis
• Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (including bateremia/Sepsis) &
• Meningitis.

The worst fact is all of these are related to serious complications when left untreated.  Mortality rates are really high, except for Otitis Media & Sinusitis can lead to serious conditions like disability in hearing or complete deafness or in some instances Mastoiditis.

The treatment depends first on diagnosis, which is again a real problem. In contrast with diarrhoea where mothers recognize the ailment almost immediatlely, with pneumonia this is not the case. Pneumonia in the early stages gives flu like symptoms & by the time the mother goes to the doctor, the child has already gone through the early stages of the disease.

Another problem with the treatment of this disease is that anibiotics which are the only line of treatment options available, are facing the problem of antibiotic resistence.

A survey by SENTRY (Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, 1997-1999) tells us the rates of antibiotic resistence are rising thoroughout the world & they are the highest in our  Asian-Pacific region.

So, what is the solution then?

The same age old saying: “Prevention is Better than Cure”.
It goes without saying that even though there is a vaccine available to prevent this children killer, not many parents know about it.

This World Pneumonia day was (should I say) celebrated to start the begining of the end to this terrible disease causing bacteria. It called out to everyone to ask their physicians & pedriaticians about this disease & it’s prevention. Which requires everyone in the effort to make parents aware of this problem.

So, To a more healthier world…

Lets raise the rays of hope