Public warned to be wary of pneumonia

HEALTH experts are calling on the public to be vigilant against pneumonia.

In a forum held on Friday, Dr. Fatima Gimenez, president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, said the country cannot afford another public health concern, especially with the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Gimenez stressed that pneumonia is a “difficult thing” to be controlled, noting that the proliferation of multiple viruses and bacteria can cause the disease.

“Aside from Covid, other viruses and bacteria can cause pneumonia, and all these things come into play ... you have to have a good immune system, you have to had the good kind of protection, and we are now much more aware of following the minimum health standards,” Gimenez said.

Dr. Kim Patrick Tejano, immunization program officer of the Department of Health, urged parents to get their children immunized for pneumonia and other vaccine preventable diseases, as well as pneumococcal vaccine for the elderly.

“Older adults can get infected because of their low immune system, while for children, pneumonia is easily transmitted through airborne or respiratory droplets. Kids are also not yet adept at proper hygiene at their age that is why it is one of the main reasons they need to get vaccinated,” Dr. Tina Santos, secretary of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, added.

Former Health secretary and now congressman Janette Loreto-Garin said it is wrong to dismiss pneumonia as just “ordinary cough.”

“Pneumonia kills . ... This is the reason why we need to advocate that pneumonia is just about vaccines, it is about decongestion, nutrition and making everybody healthy,” Loreto-Garin added.