Over 150,000 children under the age of five die annually of pneumonia, with over 800,000 children mortality worldwide.
Stakeholders at the workshop to commemorate the 2019 World Pneumonia and Prematurity Days organised by the Save The Children International in collaboration with UNICEF and Every Breath Counts in Abuja revealed this, saying efforts to address the number of children dying from pneumonia is not fast or fair enough.
Addressing delegates during the workshop, the Chief of Party Dr. Adamu Isah, called for urgent actions to reduce this world’s leading infectious killer of children in Nigeria, saying pneumonia kills more children in Nigeria than any other country.
“We have gone into partnership and we are getting closer together every day, we are forming a bigger coalition now than before to address this issue of pneumonia.
“Another commendation is that this country has been able to work through the partnership to develop a national pneumonia control strategic plan,” he said.
Dr. Adamu further said that pneumonia has direct connection with nutrition and that the government should find a way of reaching out and supporting the sector, saying issue of healthcare financing and quality care should not be left to donor partners alone.
“Nutrition goes beyond the government, but the families need to be enlightened and sensitise. It is important for family to know what to do after child delivery.
On his part, UNICEF chief of health and HIV, Dr. Sanjana Bhardwaj, said the progress of pneumonia treatment in Nigeria is slow and that the government must continue to strengthen the health system.
“It is possible to prevent pneumonia through better immunisation coverage to protect children from some of the leading causes.
“It is possible through good nutrition to help their bodies to fight off infections and respond to treatment as well as to prevent underlying causes of pneumonia. It is possible through provision of improved water, hygiene and sanitation,” she said.
She therefore called on the government to ensure access to integrated service delivery and low cost live saving antibiotics at the community level.
