Tamil Nadu - Vellore   

“Pneumonia largely neglected”

VELLORE: Child specialist and president of the Indian Association of Paediatrics, Vellore Chapter, K.V. Arulalan, explained the ways of detecting pneumonia in children at home and the ways of preventing the disease among children. He was speaking at an awareness programme for women in the villages of K.V. Kuppam panchayat union, on Monday. It was organised by the Rural Unit for Health and the Social Affairs (RUHSA) Department of Christian Medical College on RUHSA premises in P.K. Puram in connection with the World Pneumonia Day.

Dr. Arulalan said discharge of thick yellow phlegm from the nose continuously for 10 days, wound in the nose, continuous cough, vomiting after cough, and neck pain are some of the common symptoms of pneumonia.

The disease could be suspected when a mother, breast-feeding her child, feels fever in the child reflected through hotness of the child’s tongue. An unusually longer time taken by children in suckling is another symptom of pneumonia, he said. As a preventive measure, he suggested compulsory immunisation against measles, as that would offer protection from pneumonia. People avoiding the use of automobiles for shorter distances to reduce carbon dioxide emission, which could also cause pneumonia, could help in the prevention, he said.

K.V. Kuppam panchayat union chairman A.K. Seetharaman, who was the chief guest, said it was shocking that four lakh children die of pneumonia every year in India. The disease could be prevented by measures such as giving up smoking as the smoke emitted by the parents affected the children in the vicinity.

The irritating smoke emitted by cooking ovens where firewood is used as fuel, also caused the disease. Therefore, people should avoid the use of firewood. Women should put pressure on husbands to give up the practice of smoking, he said.

Rita Isaac, professor and head, RUHSA Department, called upon the women, especially members of self-help groups, to spread the message on pneumonia in the community to prevent the people from getting infected, and make it clear that pneumonia is curable.

The disease was largely neglected as women are generally not aware of the disease and symptoms. Hence this special awareness programme on the occasion of the World Pneumonia Day, she said.

Mathew, training officer, RUHSA, welcomed the gathering. Stalin, Health Educator, RUHSA, proposed a vote of thanks.

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