The World Health Organisation and UN child agency launched a global action plan to fight pneumonia, which kills some 1.8 million children under five every year.
"Since we know what interventions work, we need to urgently implement them" to combat the ailment which is also the biggest killer of children under the age of five, said Anne Golaz, a senior health adviser at Unicef, on Monday.
Pneumonia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Complications
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by a bacteria or a virus. It causes inflammation of the alveoli or the air sacs of the lungs.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by a bacteria or a virus. It causes inflammation of the alveoli or the air sacs of the lungs.
The UN agencies stressed two key measures to combat the ailment: ensuring that every child is vaccinated, and is only breast fed for the first six months at least.
The WHO said the security and efficiency of vaccines have been proven. Golaz stresses that children who are exclusively breast fed during the first six months of their lives have a 23 percent less chance of contracting pneumonia.
More than 98 percent of deaths linked to pneumonia are recorded in the poorest countries in the world, according to data from the UN agencies.
Advertisement
Hib Vaccine - Types, Dosage Schedule, Contraindications and Side Effects
The Hib vaccine protects children against infections like meningitis and pneumonia that are caused by the Haemophilus influenzae type b bacterium.
The Hib vaccine protects children against infections like meningitis and pneumonia that are caused by the Haemophilus influenzae type b bacterium.
LIN
Immunization in Children - Schedules
Immunizations give protection to your children from fatal diseases. Medindia provides BCG, DPT immunization schedule that your child needs to grow up healthy.
Immunizations give protection to your children from fatal diseases. Medindia provides BCG, DPT immunization schedule that your child needs to grow up healthy.
