Pneumonia Peril: 66 Children Die Daily in Bangladesh
Pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of child mortality in Bangladesh, with approximately 1.4 million children affected every year. Among them, around 24,000 children lose their lives—an average of 66 children under the age of five dying from pneumonia each day.
According to research conducted by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), pneumonia accounts for 52 percent of neonatal deaths. Among these, 32 percent occur in children aged one month to one year, and 16 percent among those aged between one and five years.
Child health specialists noted that in 2017, the pneumonia mortality rate among children under five was 8 percent, which remained around 7.4 percent in the 2022 survey. Dr. Mohammad Zobayer Chisti, Senior Scientist at icddr,b, stated that “malnourished children are 15 times more likely to die from pneumonia.” He emphasized the need to make pulse oximeters mandatory at all health facilities.
As per World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, hospitals and healthcare centers should have ten essential facilities for child treatment. However, according to the Bangladesh Health Facility Survey 2017, only 5 percent of healthcare centers in the country meet these requirements. The remaining 95 percent lack adequate equipment, medicines, or trained personnel.
The icddr,b further revealed that 52 percent of pneumonia-related child deaths occur at home without any medical attention. Another 3 percent of children die while being treated at home, and 45 percent even after receiving hospital care. Alarmingly, the causes of infection—specifically which pathogens are responsible for pneumonia—remain unknown in nearly 50 percent of cases.
Against this backdrop, Bangladesh will observe World Pneumonia Day on Wednesday, November 12, under the theme “Healthy Start, Hopeful Future.” Various government and non-government organizations have planned awareness campaigns focused on pneumonia prevention and treatment for children.
Ahead of the observance, Dr. Samir Kumar Saha, Executive Director of the Child Health Research Foundation, stated, “We still lack initiatives to determine whether the infections are caused by viruses or bacteria. Identifying the source of infection is essential for preventing pneumonia.” Meanwhile, Dr. Kamruzzaman Kamrul, Associate Professor at the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, said, “Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life is a major defense against pneumonia.”
DBTech/TR/IK/OR
