World Pneumonia Day: Over 2 million people die annually from this disease
Today is World Pneumonia Day. The event is initiated by the Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia and is supported by the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
Annually, more than 2 million people, including 800 thousand children, die due to pneumonia. The most vulnerable are children under 5 and adults over 70.
In the Republic of Moldova, according to statistical data, 1,057 people, including 34 children under 5, lost their lives in 2022 due to pneumonia, according to the National Public Health Agency.
The main risk factors are limited access to prevention and care services, malnutrition, air pollution and tobacco use.
To prevent pneumonia, according to the ANSP, it is essential to follow a set of health practices, including supporting and promoting exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life, a practice that can reduce the incidence of pneumonia by 23%; ensuring adequate and balanced nutrition; immunization against pneumococcus, Hib, cough, measles, flu, COVID, etc.; promoting good personal and community hygiene practices; reducing air pollution and avoiding tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.
