World Pneumonia Day observed with theme Keep the Promise, Stop Pneumonia Now

12 November: World Pneumonia Day

World Pneumonia Day 2016 was observed on 12 November 2016 across the world with the theme Keep the Promise, Stop Pneumonia Now.

To mark the occasion, special programmes were held to raise awareness of pneumonia, promote prevention and treatment and generate action to fight the illness.

Pneumonia is a leading cause of death for children under the age of five years around the world. The evidence shows that integrated approaches to protect, prevent and treat pneumonia in children are needed.

The WHO integrated Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD) aims to:

• Reduce preventable childhood deaths
• Improve coverage
• Implement essential policies in 139 countries

About World Pneumonia Day

• Pneumonia is an infection affecting one or both lungs. The infection inflames the lungs' air sacs filling it with fluid or pus. This leads to symptoms like cough and phlegm, fever, chills, vomiting and breathing difficulty.

• To deal with the illness, World Pneumonia Day was established in November 2009 which tries to raise awareness about it, besides promoting interventions.

• The Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia provides leadership for World Pneumonia Day and is comprised of over 140 NGOs, academic institutions, government agencies and foundations.

• The day in 2015 was observed with the theme Every Breath Counts: Stop Pneumonia Now.