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Improving global health by preventing pneumococcal disease

22 Oct 2008

Paul Chinnock

Source: UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pneumococcal Disease Prevention in the Developing World

Pneumococcal disease is the leading cause of child pneumonia deaths, as well as the second leading cause of childhood meningitis deaths. It kills more than 1.6 million people, including between 700,000 and one million children under five, each year.

Last year a UK parliamentary group was formed to work to raise awareness about pneumococcal disease, its prevention through vaccination, and international efforts to ensure sustainable financing. The group has now produced an extensive report. The authors believe that the disease should be given equal status to malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.

The report was also the subject of a TropIKA.net news story.