Why Pneumonia Still A Killer & Hope For Pakistan's Children Part 1

As compared to any other disease Pneumonia is the single most cause of deaths in children under five in the world. Out of the thirty different causes of Pneumonia Pneumo coccal Pneumonia is the most common. Its latest vaccine i.e. Pneumo coccal vaccine, though available in Pakistan's market for some time now, is out of reach of the majority of population because of its cost. Medical experts believe that the availability of this vaccine for the masses in the developing and under developed world can significantly reduce the childhood mortality. The use of this vaccine in countries like Rwanda has already started showing positive results. Soon, most probably this year, Pakistan is going to be one of the fifteen countries in the developing world to start providing this vaccine to its children free of cost. Even more exciting is the fact that this vaccine was introduced in the west not more than a year ago. Free of cost availability of this vaccine for the Pakistani children will be the result of the joint efforts of at least three entities. They include first of all the government of Pakistan which accessed the international donors like the Global Alliance For Vaccine Intervention or GAVI. Second the GAVI alliance itself which is a network of international organizations such as WHO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Vaccine Manufacturers and governments of the developing and developed countries etc. Third is the Sabin Vaccine Institute that works with the representatives of the health community of the developing and under developed world to sensitize their governments towards the burden of the diseases such as Pneumonia on their economies as well as public health.
The interviews included in the show are those of DR Zulfiqar Bhutta, Aga Khan University Hospital, of DR Zafar Naeem, head of Pediatrics, Govt. Services Hospital Islamabad, of DR Peter Hotez, Sabin Vaccine Institute and of Alex Palacios, the special representative in the US of GAVI.

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News & Politics

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• Pakistan
• Health
• Pneumonia
• Ayesha Khalid
• VOA Urdu
• Voice Of America