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World Pneumonia Day! Help save a Child by spreading the word about Pneumonia- Every Breath Counts!
Kayode is a community health advocate. Growing up he lost his only sister to pneumonia. As a teenager, he didn’t understand what pneumonia was even when his parents tried their best to explain the disease to him.
As a university student, he has read a lot about pneumonia- causes, effects of the disease on one’s health and possible outcomes of the infection. Kayode joined a group of community health advocates to visit remote communities in South Western part of Nigeria. He decided that no one under his sphere of influence will lose loved ones to pneumonia.
World Health Organisation (WHO) states that ‘Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacteria associated with pneumonia in children’. If infected, children could experience symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing, fast breathing, chest in-drawing and/or wheezing.
Also, death from childhood pneumonia is linked to poverty-related factors such as poor nutrition, lack of safe water and sanitation as well as inadequate access to health care. Six (6) out of 10 childhood pneumonia deaths is concentrated in 10 countries namely Chad, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Angola, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Indonesia.
World Pneumonia Day is commemorated annually on November 12 globally, let us join Kayode in spreading the information about Pneumonia and save a child. To reduce preventable child deaths in Nigeria we must tackle the scourge of pneumonia because every breathe counts.
Recommended ways to prevent, protect and treat children of pneumonia.
- Routine immunizations against Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), pneumococcus, measles and whooping cough.
- Consumption of drinking water, good sanitation and hygienic practice such as handwashing with soap.
- Good nutrition especially for children over 6 months of age.
- Covering the mouth with a tissue while sneezing or coughing, throwing it away immediately and washing hands.
- Not sharing cups or kitchen utensils with others.
- Keeping the air clean at home.
- Adequate nutrition with exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of age and eating vitamin-rich foods.
Watch video below to find out some of the simple ways you can help prevent pneumonia
If you want to learn more about this disease and other ways to help prevent it, visit Stop Pneumonia.
Join the conversation and keep up with updates on Instagram, Twitter using the hashtag #Endpneumonianow, #Vaccineswork, #Stoppneumonia
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