New Delhi|HL
The Indian Academy of Paediatrics urged the Centre to include PCV 13 vaccine in the National Immunisation Programme as it effectively works against pneumonia that accounts for more infant deaths, said Ananth Pai, president of IAP, Mangaluru, on World Pneumonia Day on Saturday.
The present vaccination programme had vaccines that indirectly work against pneumonia, a lung inflammation noticed in children.“ PCV 13 vaccine works against pneumonia and it has helped reduce morbidity among children aged below five,” Dr. Pai said while addressing media.
He said that 44 per cent of the world’s pneumonia cases were reported in India. “Pneumonia has been cause deaths in 15 per cent of neonatal deaths (deaths within 28 days of birth) and 28 per cent of deaths of children aged between 28 days and 1 year . Around 15 per cent of deaths of those aged between one and five years has been a result of pneumonia,” he said.
Dr. Pai said 150 neonatal deaths last year in Mangaluru were result of pneumonia . As many as 55 children died this year, he said. Shry Shriyan, secretary, IAP Mangaluru, said IAP members would undertake an awareness programmes to mark World Pneumonia Day .
