HEALTH professionals here all over the word yesterday marked World Pneumonia Day, using commemoration events to raise awareness that the disease, despite being preventable and treatable, remains a major cause of death globally, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
Dr Verdiana Byemelwa, head of the Infectious Disease Unit at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), said in an interview that the risk is particularly acute for vulnerable groups like children under five, the elderly (65 and above) and individuals with compromised immune systems or chronic illnesses such as HIV, cancer, diabetes and sickle cell disease.
She explained increasing incidence of pneumonia to these groups, especially at they spend time in rooms that lack sufficient ventilation, stressing the critical importance of ensuring homes have adequate ventilation to reduce propagation of airborne pathogens.
MNH data highlights the burden of the disease, with a study covering 2020–2021 showing that 24,942 pneumonia patients were presented at the Emergency Medical Department (EMD), implying that one out of every four patients arriving at the EMD during that time had a lung problem, she stated.
A separate MNH study noted an average of 1,039 patients with pulmonary conditions was seen per month, with pneumonia accounting for 52 percent of respiratory diagnoses, as pneumonia is a lung infection caused by bacteria, viruses or chemical agents.
Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food or chemicals enter the lungs, often seen when children are forcefully fed, she specified, hinting that tuberculosis (TB) is a form of bacterial pneumonia, while COVID-19 is an example of viral pneumonia.
Dr Elisha Osati, an MNH internal medicine specialist, classified pneumonia as a serious infection causing inflammation and swelling of the lungs and fever, with marked levels of being lethal, as in 2019, it accounted for 15 percent of deaths among children under five, nationally.
Global health statistics indicate that a child dies from pneumonia every 43 seconds, totaling over 735,840 deaths annually where Africa contributes over 40 percent of those deaths, with WHO noting that the high fatalities are often exacerbated by poverty, poor nutrition, lack of clean water and inadequate health services.
Stressing the need for robust health systems as highlighted by the day's theme, WHIO says that pneumonia is a leading cause of death in children under five in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for a significant portion of under-five deaths
Malnutrition is a common factor while overall child mortality rates have fallen, but progress against pneumonia has been slower than for other diseases, and many deaths are preventable with improved access to interventions
Local specialists on respiratory diseases warn that the escalating number of pneumonia cases is directly linked to people residing in poorly ventilated rooms. It was a note of concern raised at the World Pneumonia Day (November 12) reflection, focusing on the maxim that ‘Protecting children and communities from pneumonia means strengthening health systems.’
Humid air in enclosed spaces, coupled with inadequate air circulation, can become a hazardous environment that facilitates the spread of bacterial and viral pathogens responsible for the infection, they said.
Common symptoms of the disease include persistent coughing, which is the lung's defense mechanism, fatigue and difficult breathing due to mucus or fluid accumulation, chest pain or .tightness in the chest and fever the internal medicine specialist noted, the internal medicine specialist noted.
In severe cases, changes in mental health condition or loss of consciousness can follow and less frequently, coughing up blood (if TB-related), he said, while both specialists underscored that while pneumonia is treatable, often requiring diagnosis via X-ray or CT Scan, prevention is vital. Dr Osati cautioned against the misconception that cold weather causes pneumonia, clarifying that it is the humid, stagnant air that harbors pathogens, with prevention strategies including vaccination (childhood vaccines, TB and COVID-19 vaccines).
Avoiding overcrowded areas with poor air circulation, using masks during outbreaks or when exposed to infected persons, covering the mouth with the elbow when coughing or sneezing to limit germ spread and ensuring large windows in homes allow for uninterrupted air exchange are crucial preventive mechanisms, he said.
Self-medication of pneumonia with antibiotics leads to drug resistance, so treatment must be correctly tailored to the specific type of infection identified through laboratory testing, he added.
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