Third annual World Pneumonia Day to be observed on Saturday

Nov 11 2011

The third annual World Pneumonia Day will be observed on Saturday. The following is a summary of several pieces published in recognition of the day:

• GlobalPost's "Global Pulse" blog: Ciro de Quadros of the Sabin Vaccine Institute reports on treating pneumonia today, writing, "Pneumonia doesn't capture public imagination the way smallpox or polio once did, but ironically, it is this disease -- and not malaria or AIDS -- that is the number one killer of children today, claiming the lives of more than a million children each year. ... Now, the global health community is coming together in a way never seen before with partners such as the GAVI Alliance, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE), shining a spotlight on pneumonia, demanding action and getting results that can be measured in the number of lives saved" (11/10). The blog also posts a video by the Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia, which started World Pneumonia Day (Karimjee, 11/9).
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog: Richard Sezibera, the secretary general of the East African Community, writes, "As we observe the third ever World Pneumonia Day this year on November 12, and the power of immunization in general, it is gratifying to know that the pneumococcal vaccine is already starting to reach the children who need it most." However, he notes, "Despite GAVI's ambitious plan to ensure that all children have access to life-saving vaccines, plenty remains to be done. Millions of children still lack the vaccine. ... By harnessing the power of governments, industry, philanthropy, activism, and commitment, we can do more. Innovative financing mechanisms, like GAVI's Advance Market Commitment, help shape the market for the vaccine and make it possible for it to be available at prices developing countries can afford" (11/10).
• USAID: The agency provides a list of "Fast Facts" and writes, "On November 12, World Pneumonia Day, USAID stands with the global community in celebration of the incredible progress made against the leading cause of death among children worldwide: pneumonia. One child dies every 20 seconds from this preventable and treatable disease. It is a stark reminder that we must remain determined and steadfast in our effort to achieve even greater success" (11/10).
• GAVI Alliance: The alliance reports various statistics on pneumonia, posts the latest installment in the World Pneumonia Day video series, and provides links to photo galleries from the rollout of pneumococcal vaccines in Kenya and Yemen. "For the first time in history, thanks to the GAVI Alliance partners, vaccines against the leading cause of pneumonia are reaching children in developing countries at nearly the same time they reach children in high-income countries. This is unprecedented. The introduction of these vaccines is a cornerstone of GAVI's ambitious plan to ensure that all children have equal access to life-saving vaccines," the Alliance writes (11/10).
• ONE: "With World Pneumonia Day coming up on November 12, there are so many things you can do to help spread awareness using social media," ONE writes, providing links to "tools, videos and resources on the deadly disease ... found around the web" (Carter, 11/10).