Thread by @WHO

Today is #WorldPneumoniaDay

#Pneumonia alone kills more than 800 000 children every year, accounting for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years old. It’s the single largest infectious cause of death in children 🌍🌍

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#Pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs. It can be caused by a number of infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria, or fungi.

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#WorldPneumoniaDay

Drops in immunization coverage during the #COVID19 pandemic - including vaccines for pertussis, Hib, pneumococcal & measles, puts millions of 👦👧🏾 at risk of infections, including #pneumonia.

#WorldPneumoniaDay

#Pneumonia affects 👦👧 and 👨‍👨‍👧 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 everywhere, but it can be prevented with simple interventions:

💉 Immunization
🥦 Adequate nutrition
🔥 Reducing exposure to indoor air pollution
🏡 Improving housing conditions
🚬 Avoiding smoking near children

#WorldPneumoniaDay

Most 👦👧🏾 who die from #pneumonia live in poor areas, with low levels of access to good-quality 🏥 and health workers who can prevent, protect, diagnose & treat pneumonia

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#WorldPneumoniaDay

While vaccines 💉are a vital part of prevention for #pneumonia, they need to be combined with:

🤱breastfeeding
🥕nutritious food
🏡a clean environment

Ensuring that families have access to health services and the right medicines is also essential.

#WorldPneumoniaDay

#COVID19 creates opportunities to leverage efforts to increase diagnostic and treatment services for respiratory infections, including #pneumonia.

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#WorldPneumoniaDay

Medical oxygen and diagnostic tools for hypoxemia supplied to treat #COVID19 patients, can also save the lives of children and newborns suffering from severe #pneumonia and other conditions.

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#WorldPneumoniaDay

Reducing the number of 👦👧 getting sick & dying from #pneumonia requires achieving #HealthForAll, so that all children have access to vaccination, nutrition, & to good-quality diagnosis and treatment

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#WorldPneumoniaDay

#Pneumonia caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics, but only one third of 👦👧 with pneumonia receive the antibiotics they need.

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