The fight against pneumonia

The New Year spirit was just about to subside when a 5-month-old baby from the small barangay village of Ampayon in Agusan del Norte province, caught high fever.In the morning of January 11, Rhealyn Castro was rushed to the Butuan Medical Center, where she stayed for 6 days. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, an infectious lung condition that claimed 37 infant-lives a day in 2008.On January 17 – a little over two weeks after the clanging of kitchenware and the feasting over pansit, fried Filipino noodles that represent "East Otago rallies to help shop family" – baby Rhea passed away.Rhea is only one of the 74 deaths in BMC caused by the respiratory infection since January. The hospital records show that pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality, affecting both young and old, since 2012.

"The record shows we do have about 6 to 7 admissions a day. But we have one or two mortalities in a month. For me, it's so alarming," said BMC officer-in-charge Dr Jennifer Chua, referring only to infant cases of pneumonia.Eighteen more BMC patients under the age of 5 have died due to pneumonia after baby Rhea.The situation in BMC reflects that of the country, where pneumonia is one of the primary causes of infant mortality.The Department of Health (DOH) seeks to reverse this trend by providing free pneumococcal vaccinations through the agency's expanded program on immunization starting July 17 – a feat they say can save P23,500 in costs per infant.According to Dr Chua, immunizations programs in the barangay-level provided by the local city government helped reduce the number of hospital admissions.

"Just like tuberculosis, there's already a vaccination. Talagang pa-down na yung cases Cases of pneumonia are already declining. Measles, almost zero already," she explained.The Center of Health Development in the CARAGA region reported the deaths caused by the disease are unfortunate because they could have been prevented through vaccination."Pneumonia is a well preventable disease that may claim the lives of children, if we do not heed (calls for) action against it," said Dr Ariel Valencia, Regional Director of CHD-CARAGA.CHD-CARAGA also noted that exclusive breastfeeding from birth up to two years, frequent handwashing, and proper nutrition aside from vaccination can help prevent the disease.