Pneumonia is the single biggest infectious killer of adults and children – claiming the lives of 2.2 million, including 502,000 children under five, in 2021 according to the Global Burden of Disease. Pneumonia pathogens are also the most likely cause of the next pandemic, according to the latest Disease Control Priorities estimates.
The theme for World Pneumonia Day 2024 is Partnerships for Progress, and we are delighted to highlight organizations working together to reduce pneumonia deaths and pandemic risk. These partnerships work because they are focused on increasing coverage of the most lifesaving interventions in the countries where pneumonia deaths concentrate.
This is especially important for children under five, as the world is very close to achieving the Global Pneumonia Target of three child pneumonia deaths for every 1,000 babies born. To achieve this target, child pneumonia deaths need to fall from the current 502,000 per year to 397,000 – very achievable.
Further, success at reducing child pneumonia deaths will help countries achieve the broader Sustainable Development Goal for child survival (SDG 3.2) by the 2030 deadline. Currently, 64 countries are not on track to achieve the neonatal target (12 newborn deaths for every 1,000 babies born) and 52 countries are off-track to achieve the post-neonatal target (13 deaths among children aged 1-59 months for every 1,000 children aged 28 days). As pneumonia is a leading killer of children in both the neonatal (153,000 deaths) and post-neonatal (349,000 deaths) periods, reducing these deaths will have a major impact on both global targets.
But we cannot ignore pneumonia’s massive burden on adults, especially older adults and those with co-morbidities, and the risk of another respiratory pandemic killing millions.
The Partnerships for Progress highlighted this World Pneumonia Day include governments, global health agencies, foundations, industry, and CSOs joining forces to:
Events
Initiatives
Media
Videos/podcasts
Reports
Articles (journal)
Funding opportunities
Campaigns
Blogs/Statements
Research
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