Pneumonia causes 99pc under 5 deaths
Roundtable suggests vaccination
Participants at a roundtable styled “The Outbreak of Pneumonia in Bangladesh and its Remedy”, organised by The Daily Star at its Chittagong office yesterday.Photo: STAR
Speakers at a roundtable yesterday emphasised the importance of vaccinating children under the age of five against pneumonia to prevent deaths by the disease. The discussion styled “The Outbreak of Pneumonia in Bangladesh and its Remedy” was organised by The Daily Star at its Chittagong office. In a multimedia presentation, Dr Mahmud A Chowdhury Arju, professor of paediatrics department of Chattagram Ma O Shishu General Hospital, said 99 percent of deaths in children under five occur due to pneumonia in developing countries like Bangladesh. Pneumonia is claiming a young life every 20 seconds, he added. Terming pneumonia as one of the most curable diseases, Dr Arju said early detection of the disease, vaccination and awareness of child nutrition can prevent deaths by this disease. Dr Jhulan Das Sharma, professor of Southern Medical College Hospital, said pneumonia is both treatable and curable. Hand washing plays a very important role in preventing pneumonia, he said and urged parents to follow Infants and Young Children Feeding (IYCF) method in feeding their children. Dr Rezaul Karim, associate professor and head of child health department at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), said Bangladesh is moving towards better healthcare despite many limitations. Dr Bashana Muhuri of CMCH, among others, spoke at the programme.
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