Children Suffering from Pneumonia, 24,000 Children Die Annually
There has been a sudden increase in the children suffering from pneumonia.
Pneumonia, a killer disease is the biggest cause of child mortality around the globe, killing a child every 30 seconds. It contributes 18% of the total global child deaths. According to a survey report published in DAWN, compiled from the data of government and private hospitals, about 663,000 cases are reported every year in Pakistan and over 24,000 children suffering from pneumonia out of total number of these cases die of the disease. This is a dangerous situation which needs urgent attention and awareness programs about the symptoms and prevention for pneumonia.
Pneumonia is a fatal disease especially for infants and children younger than age two years as their immune systems are not mature enough. Symptoms of pneumonia in children include rapid or difficult breathing, cough, fever, chills and cold, severe headache, loss of appetite and wheezing. They may also face difficulty to breathe, with their chests moving in or retracting during inhalation.