The death toll from pneumonia in children is very high; according to sources, 12 children in Punjab have died in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 220 since January 1.
According to official data, 1,077 new instances of pneumonia have been reported in Punjab in the previous twenty-four hours, with a large proportion of patients being under five years old.
Of the twelve deaths that have been recorded in the last day, three took place in Gujranwala, two in Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur, and one in each of Lahore, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, and other places.
Comparably, Lahore had 251 new instances of pneumonia, bringing the total number of cases since the year’s commencement to 1,821.
Prof. Javed Akram, Punjab’s acting health minister, stated that the majority of the afflicted kids had not had vaccinations. He attributed the spike in cases to severe weather and the low prevalence of nursing among mothers.
Prof. Akram emphasised the detrimental effects of pollution, fog, and cold, dry weather on children’s health, especially for those with compromised immune systems. According to research done at the Children’s Hospital, viral infections cause pneumonia in 72% of children.
In order to lower the danger of pneumonia, the health minister stressed the value of vaccinations and advised mothers to nurse their infants in well-ventilated rooms. She also issued a warning against exposing young children to gas heaters in small places.
Of the 220 deaths that have occurred in South Punjab since January 1, public sector hospitals have documented 152, with 43 of those deaths occurring in children under five. The majority of the dead youngsters, according to Dr. Shakeel Ghazi, head of paediatrics at Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College, were underweight, had not received enough breast milk, and were not immunised.
