DOH leads anti-pneumonia campaign

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MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) has taken a more aggressive move to raise awareness about the threat of pneumonia with its “Laban Pneumonia” campaign.

DOH together with local government units and private sector partners launched the campaign in a bid to promote public awareness and educate people about the disease. The campaign also aims to encourage parents to have their children vaccinated, especially those in the poorer sectors across the country.

“Laban Pneumonia” kicked off in Barangay, Inayawan, South District Cebu. Twenty children were given vaccines as part of the opening ceremonies of the program. Aside from this, the project aims also to provide pneumococcal vaccines to Region 7 or Central Visayas and Region 8 or Eastern Visayas, including the families that were affected by Typhoon Yolanda late last year.

Under the project, the Health Department aims to vaccinate 400,000 beneficiaries in their targeted regions. This will be done in coordination with the local government.

“Pneumonia has been identified as among the top five causes of mortality in the Philippines, averaging fourth in the past 10 years,” said Dr. Joyce Ducusin, OIC-director 3, Family Health Office, National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, DOH.

Health Undersecretary Janette Garin said, “Our ‘Laban Pneumonia’ campaign solidifies our goal to decrease or ultimately eradicate pneumonia among Filipinos, especially our children, as we strive to meet our commitments to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”

According to Unicef, the Philippines is one of the top 15 countries globally with the highest number of pneumonia cases among children 5 years old and below. Pneumonia is caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Some infections of the disease include meningitis, acute otitis media, sinusitis, and pneumococcal pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. Symptoms of the disease are colds, common cough, and fever.