Pneumonia is a lung disease that can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. It can be prevented with vaccines, and treated with antibiotics and - in severe cases - with oxygen, but in poorer countries, access to these is often limited. "Millions of children are dying for want of vaccines, affordable antibiotics and routine oxygen treatment," said Kevin Watkins, chief executive of Save the Children. "This is a forgotten global epidemic that demands an urgent international response." The report said pneumonia causes 15% of deaths in under-5s, but accounts for only 3% of spending on research into infectious diseases, lagging far behind other diseases such as malaria.

Source: bd News24 November 12, 2019 07:21 UTC