It only takes one minute

MANILA, Philippines – One out of five children or up to three million children die of pneumonia every year, according to the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund.

It claims more lives than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined. It is the number one killer of young children worldwide. It is also known as “the forgotten killer” of children. Common symptoms are too often easily dismissed as “nothing serious,” until it’s too late.

And yet, early recognition of its danger signs can lead to the effective prevention and treatment of pneumonia. “It only takes one minute to save millions of lives,” says National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines-Manila executive director Dr. Lulu Bravo. Parents need only to follow three essential steps. 

“The first and most critical step is to recognize a sick child by paying close attention to the frequency of breathing,” Dr. Bravo explains. “Look and listen. Look for lower chest in-drawing. Listen for the stridor, a whistling sound when breathing. Since unusually rapid and labored breathing is a strong symptom of the disease, count the number of breaths per minute to determine if your child has pneumonia: 60 “breaths” for infants below two months old; 50 for children below one year; and 40 for those above one year old and up to five years old. If your child’s breathing exceeds this critical number per minute, there is a very high chance he is sick with pneumonia.”

“Pneumonia is a form of acute lower respiratory infection that affects the lungs,” Dr. Bravo explains. “A person sick with pneumonia has pus or fluid in one or both lungs, which interferes with oxygen absorption, making it difficult to breathe. The disease usually starts with mild illnesses such as cough or common cold. For children, however, infections that begin with mild symptoms may sometimes lead to more severe maladies like pneumonia. Young children can die of this disease within five days, if left unchecked.”

The second important step, therefore, is to immediately seek appropriate care. Bring your child to the closest clinic or health center. Consult your doctor. And the third step is to treat immediately with antibiotics. For pneumonia cases caused by bacterial pathogens, early treatment backed by a full course of effective antibiotics could significantly lessen fatalities. Follow your doctor’s prescription for the appropriate antibiotic. Amoxicillin, by Pharex, is a standard drug for the treatment of pneumonia. 

“Mothers and caregivers play an important role in combating pneumonia,” says Dr. Bravo. “They have to know the danger signs of the disease so that they will be prompted to go to their doctor and treatment could be administered.” Unfortunately, only about one out of five caregivers knows the danger signs of pneumonia, and only about half of the children sick with the disease receive appropriate medical care.

The National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines-Manila (NIH/UP Manila), and Pharex Health Corporation have joined forces to launch “StoPneumonia,” a health awareness campaign aimed at saving more Filipino children from falling prey to the disease. NIH/UP Manila, with Dr. Bravo, leads the public health awareness campaign to help in the early recognition, prevention, and treatment of pneumonia among young Filipino children. At the same time, Pharex will be disseminating lay information materials and posters for healthcare workers and public health offices, as well as lecture slide or audio-visual presentations for caregivers. 

“We can expect the rise of common illnesses during the rainy season, so now is the best time to educate mothers and caregivers. Treatment is readily available,” says Pharex president and CEO, Tomas Marceolo Agana III. “Awareness and education are the best starting point for combating this killer disease.”

The message is clear. Dr. Bravo reiterates, “It only takes one minute to save millions of lives.”