World Pneumonia Day 2020

This year World Pneumonia Day, 12 November 2020, will be held during a global pandemic that is dramatically increasing pneumonia deaths from COVID-19 and other causes, especially because of the global crisis in access to medical oxygen.

COVID-19 could add more than one million to the death toll this year. This could increase ‘all-cause’ pneumonia deaths by 70%. No other infection causes this burden of death. Further, disruptions to healthcare services are estimated to cause up to an additional 2.3 million child deaths – 35% from pneumonia and newborn sepsis alone.

Many countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America who are struggling with heavy burdens of both COVID-19 and pneumonia deaths from other causes will need more effective strategies to fight both. Investments in infection prevention (masks, social distancing, hand washing etc), is vital, and improved diagnosis and treatment with pulse oximetry and oxygen can save many lives during the pandemic – and beyond.

This World Pneumonia Day, we are calling on governments and other stakeholders to ensure that the massive effort to control the pandemic contributes to reducing ‘all-cause’ respiratory infections and deaths among both children and adults for the long term.