Pneumonia in South-East Asia Region: public health perspective.
Globally, pneumonia is the leading cause of death in young children and burden of disease is disproportionately high in South-East Asia Region of WHO. This review article presents the current status of pneumonia disease burden, risk factors and the ability of health infrastructure to deal with the situation. Literature survey was done for the last 20 years and data from country offices were also collected. The estimated incidence of pneumonia in under five children is 0.36 episodes per child, per year. Risk factors are malnutrition (40% in India), Indoor air pollution, non-breast feeding, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. Strengthening of health care delivery system for early detection and treatment and as well as minimization of preventable risk factors can avert a large proportion of death due to pneumonia.
Department of Communicable Diseases, Regional Office for South East Asia Region, World Health Organization, New Delhi, India. Madhu_ghimire@hotmail.com
M
M
Ghimire
S K
SK
Bhattacharya
J P
JP
Narain
D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D044342:Malnutrition; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors