World Pneumonia Day: Know the History, Significance and Theme of the Day
Read more to know the history, significance and theme of World Pneumonia Day 2021.
Every year, Pneumonia kills about 8,00,000 children. The United Nations Children’s Fund states that in many parts of the world a child dies from pneumonia every 39 seconds. Pneumonia is known as "a disease of inequality" which is concentrated in poor populations across the world.
History of the Day
The day was established and first observed in 2009 by the Stop Pneumonia Initiative. The day is observed yearly in order to raise global awareness about the disease and advocate for global action. Stop Pneumonia Initiative is run by the Every Breath Counts Coalition, a public-private partnership to help governments across the world reduce deaths caused by pneumonia.
In 2013, WHO launched a campaign to end deaths by pneumonia and diarrhoea, another leading killer disease for children, by 2025 called The integrated Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD).
Significance of the Day
As per UNICEF, Pneumonia receives only 3% of the funding in the global infectious disease research. To battle with the neglect and create an awareness about the disease while creating a forum for the global health community to reflect on what is done and what is yet to be done, World Pneumonia Day is observed every year on November 12.
Theme of the Day
World Pneumonia Day 2021 is dedicated to fight against the disease and reduce the burden of disease on health organisations. The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that low number of oxygen cylinders may be available to under-5 children in low-income countries. The aims is to increase the supply of affordable medicines and oxygen cylinders to prevent and fight the disease.
