From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse
No fewer than 120,000 children die annually from pneumonia across Nigeria, according to the Dr Adamu Isah, Chief of Party for the INSPIRING Project under the Save the Children initiative.
Dr Isah made this known on Monday during the inauguration ceremony of the Every Breath Counts coalition committee at the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Dutse.
He said two-third of children die in the first years of their lives, a situation that requires the attention of the world on its seriousness as was given to malaria, tuberculosis and HIV diseases.
Dr Isah said one of the ways of creating awareness is bringing together a coalition of the willing to effect the desired change through fundraising and public awareness.
The committee which was inaugurated by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Salisu Mu’azu, said that pneumonia is a leading cause of death among children under the ages of five in the state.
Dr Salisu said that despite the awareness, there is a low level of knowledge and skill by frontline health workers to effectively treat the condition.
He said this was a part of the reason that the INSPIIRNG Project under Save the Children in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and other stakeholders will implement intervention strategies on pneumonia for health workers, communities and caregivers.
The committee, which consists of the Permanent Secretary, health directors, civil society, private sector and other professional bodies, was given a seven-term reference with which to work.