Indur Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) Society has appealed to parents to take precautionary measures to enable their wards combat pneumonia, which is claiming scores of lives every year in the country.
Addressing a press conference in connection with World Pneumonia Day here on Saturday, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics former State president N. Ramchander and Indur Academy of Paediatric Society secretary Satyakumar Swamy said exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months and good hygiene were important to prevent pneumonia among infants.
Vaccination
They suggested vaccination for prevention of pneumococcal disease caused by vaccine serotypes among children who are below five years of age.
They said there was a need for pneumococcal disease surveillance to alleviate the burden of paediatric pneumonia in the country. India is one of the five countries contributing 44 per cent of the world’s pneumonia cases.
Despite strong steps by the government and medical community, pneumonia continues to be a leading vaccine preventable disease among children below five years of age in India responsible for morbidity and mortality, they said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in the national immunisation programmes as a priority in countries such as India.
Inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the national immunisation programme has the potential to save 7 to 8 million persons and avoid 0.3 to 0.5 million deaths due to pneumonia world over.
Though both PCV10 and PCV13 were recommended by the IAP, a recent study from CMC Vellore in children below five years of age concluded that PCV13 shows 74.6 per cent serotype coverage versus while 64 per cent for PCV10 in Indian context, said the doctors.
Awareness camps
The IAP conducted awareness camps to educate people on pneumonia at several places on the occasion.
IAP members K. Srisailam and Pfizer representative Rajesh were also present.
