Pneumonia Day today

The World Pneumonia Day will be observed today in the country as else where in the world to raise awareness about pneumonia as a public health issue and help prevent millions of child deaths caused by the disease each year.
Different organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes including bringing out processions in the city to observe the day in a befitting manner.
Pneumonia sickens 155 million children under 5 and kills 1.6 million each year across the world. This makes pneumonia the number one killer of children under 5, claiming more young lives than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined.
According to national survey conducted in 2008, some 50,000 children under five die each year in Bangladesh due to pneumonia although it is a curable and treatable disease.
“Despite having adequate number of antibiotic in the country to treat pneumonia patients, a large number of children die every year due to lack of awareness,” said Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque at a function yesterday.
He urged all concerned especially the mass media to raise public awareness about pneumonia and suggested parents to take their children to the nearby hospitals if their children suffer from respiratory problems, high fever and cold.