Pneumonia Cases Drop in KP

APP

Peshawar: Dr Shaukat Ali, Director General of Health Services in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, has reported a notable drop in pneumonia instances this year.

He attributed this decline to the effective execution of an improved integrated system for disease surveillance and response, leading to fewer pneumonia cases compared to the previous year.

In a statement issued regarding the annual incidence rate of pneumonia cases, Dr Shaukat Ali said that integrated disease surveillance and response systems have been expanded to all districts of the province, resulting in substantial improvements in the management of outbreaks.

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Dr Shaukat Ali urged parents to be vigilant during the intensified cold weather, as the severity of winter often leads to an increased risk of pneumonia among children. He emphasised the importance of keeping children safe from the harsh cold to prevent their heightened vulnerability to pneumonia.

He said that efforts are underway to further enhance the preparedness and capacity of the system. Last year, pneumonia was diagnosed in 127,000 children under the age of five, whereas this year the number of affected children in KP has decreased to 93,000.

Dr Shaukat Ali said that Lower Dir has reported pneumonia cases in 12,000 children under the age of five, while Haripur reported 11,000 cases, Peshawar 9,000, and Swat 8,000. Furthermore, 7,000 children under the age of five were affected by pneumonia in Swabi and 4,500 in Upper Dir, he said.

He emphasised the need for continued efforts to mitigate the impact of pneumonia, especially among the vulnerable age group of children under five.