No. 1 Killer of Kids Below 5 Years old in PH

Pneumonia is the number 1 killer of children aged 5 and below.

A chest X-ray showing a very prominent
wedge shaped pneumonia in the right lung.

Dr. Anthony Leachon, in an interview over DZMM (630 AM-Radio) this morning, revealed that Pneumonia has been silently killing Filipino kids over the years. The main reasons Dr. Leachon gave why this preventable disease has reached the number one spot in killer diseases of children in the Philippines are: lack of education in both the home and school and the lack of push for putting Pneumonia among recommended vaccinations for young children.

Pneumonia vaccines for kids such as Prevenar 13, are available and can be asked from pediatricians. However, these vaccines cost between 1,000 to 2,000 pesos. According to Dr. Leachon, if the government through the Department of Health (DOH), orders in bulk from sources abroad, the cost of the vaccines may go down drastically.

Pneumonia is a condition that causes lung inflammation. According to its Wikipedia definition, "Pneumonia can result from a variety of causes, including infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites, and chemical or physical injury to the lungs. Its cause may also be officially described as unknown when infectious causes have been excluded." Its symptoms include cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty in breathing. If untreated, the disease results in death.

The Philippines is number 10 among countries with the highest number of pneumonia cases with a mortality rate of 50 deaths per 100,000 and an incidence of 2,237 cases per 100,000 (from www.preventpneumo.org, July 17, 2010).

Dr. Leachon

Pneumonia is a preventable disease, especially in children. Ask your pediatrician about vaccinations. Spread the word, too.

Today, November 12, is World Pneumonia Day.

Dr. Anthony Leachon is the chief proponent of the H.E.R.O. program and the medical director of Pfizer in the Philippines. He is also a top cardiologist.



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