WHO and UNICEF to save 5.3 million children

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched Monday a global action to combat pneumonia, the leading cause of death among children under five years. This should save 5.3 million lives by 2015.

If nothing is done, pneumonia will continue to kill 1.8 million children under five annually, or 20% of the nine million children under five who die annually worldwide. UNICEF wants to help the poorest countries to strengthen their policy of prevention, protection and treatment of disease.

"Since we know what are the interventions that work, we have put in place large-scale programme urgently," Anne Golaz an official of UNICEF told the reporters, stressing that these measures are expected to save 5.3 million lives by 2015.

To achieve this, two key measures should be adopted by countries: immunization against pneumonia and exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months.

The safety and effectiveness of vaccines against the two leading causes of infant mortality from pneumonia, namely the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) have been demonstrated, the WHO said.

As for the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, that strengthens the natural defenses of children, it would reduce the number of cases of pneumonia by 23%, according to Golaz. In developing countries only one third of children receive this type of breastfeeding.

Now over 98% of deaths from pneumonia were recorded in the 68 countries that focus almost all of the maternal and infant mortality, according to figures provided by WHO and UNICEF which estimate the cost of measures at 39 billion dollars.

Half of the fund is intended to help two Asian countries: China (13 billion) and India (7 billion), the countries most affected by pneumonia.

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