Pneumonia is a lung inflammation in which the air sacs fill with pus and may become solid.
It is an infection that inflates air sacs in one or both lungs which may fill with fluid.
Pneumonia is an infection in one or more lungs caused by bacteria, virus or fungi.
Both viral and bacterial peumonia are contagious, which means they can be spread from person to person through inhalation of air bone droplets from a sneeze or cough.
According to international foundation for infectious diseases, pneumonia is the world’s biggest infectious killer of adults and children, claiming one child every 50 seconds.
The world pneumonia day held annually on November 12,was established to raise awareness on pneumonia and the importance of prevention and treatment of the disease.
The day was first celebrated in 2009 by the Global coalition aginst child pneumonia.
Since then, the day has provided an annual forum through out the world for countries to celebrate the day through various forms of activities.
Research indicates that pneumonia is a preventable and treatable disease that sickens 155 million children under 5 and kills 1.6 million each year.
According to UNICEF, pneumonia claimed the lives of more than 800,000 children under the age of five last year globally.
Nigerian children made up the highest number of those who died, with an estimated 162,000 deaths in 2018.
Dr. Fatima Hassan Hanga is a chief consultant paediatrician and the head of paediatric infectious diseases unit at Aminu Kano teaching hospital.
“Causes of pneumonia include virus,bacteria,fungi and even covid -19.Pneumonia is the number one killer of under 5 children globally and Nigeria.People can stay safe through ,washing of hands with soap and water,keeping safe distance to those who have respiratory infections,and advising who are infected to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing”
She explained that the disease can be prevented through exclusive breast feeding in the first six months and immunization.
Dr. Fatima Hassan charged government to make adequate provision of commodities and vaccines as well as advocacy and sensitization g on the importance of immunization.
“Vaccines should be free and available always in the hospital.Government can also advocate and sensitize the public on the importance of immunization.This would help in controlling vaccine related diseases”
Saratu Muhammad is a mother who spoke to Radio Nigeria on her experience when her son was diagnosed with pneumonia.
” We had sleepless nights,he keeps crying and calling his father. He was being injected at few hours interval,sometimes i had to seek for my neighbours assistance to take him for the injection because i couldn’t bring myself to watch him crying and holding unto his brother when it is time”
A fully recovered pneumonia patient,Mariya Abubakar also shared what she went through after contracting the deadly infection.
“I was diagnosed with the disease while in school.I had to relocate from the hostel due to my condition,the injections made my legs weak,I thought i would not make it”
In spite of the massive death toll of these disease,affordable treatment and prevention options exist.
In Nigeria the federal ministry of health developed a strategy which articulates a common vision for reducing pneumonia led morbidity and mortality that provides a unified approach to respond comprehensively to pneumonia.
The theme for the 2021 world pneumonia day is “STOP PNEUMONIA/EVERY BREATH COUNTS”
KHADIJAH ALIYU
