NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (RESPIRE)

Marking World Pneumonia Day 2019

World Pneumonia Day 2019, held on 12 November, has been marked by RESPIRE members across the globe.

Pneumonia is the single biggest infectious killer of children worldwide, yet it remains a neglected disease. A number of RESPIRE projects are investigating new and existing ways to tackle pneumonia across Asia.

Find out more about the disease in a blog by RESPIRE PhD student, Lois King, written for World Pneumonia Day 2019.

‘7 things you didn’t know about pneumonia’ on the Global Health Governance website

Raising awareness in schools in Pakistan

Group of school children holding up signs during World Pneumonia Day
School children at World Pneumonia Day 2019 activity in Pakistan

In collaboration with the Pakistan Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, Maternal Neonatal and Child Health Research Network (MNCHRN) carried out activities to mark World Pneumonia Day in schools.

The team conducted an awareness session on pneumonia, distributing materials to students and teachers. In one school, the children took part in a role play session on how to seek care for pneumonia, followed by a quiz. Banners on pneumonia were also displayed on the gates of federal schools across Islamabad.

Senjuti Saha recognised in this year’s PneumoniaFighters!

Congratulations to Dr Senjuti Saha, Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF), Bangladesh, who has been honoured as a PneumoniaFighter! by JustActions, announced as part of World Pneumonia Day 2019.

Each year, PneumoniaFighters! recognises ten hidden heroes on the frontline of the fight against pneumonia. For 2019, the list celebrates an all-female line up from the countries where large numbers of children are still dying from this preventable and treatable infection.

See the full list on the JustActions website

Discussing RSV in Ghana

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most common viral cause of pneumonia. Professor Harish Nair presented on recent RSV research at the RSVVW 2019 Conference, held in Ghana on World Pneumonia Day.