Leveraging the COVID-19 response to end preventable child deaths from pneumonia

Type Journal Article Author Henrietta H. Fore Author Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Author Kevin Watkins Author Leith Greenslade Author Seth Berkley Author Quique Bassat Author Philippe Duneton Author Keith Klugman Author Alma Golden URL https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32348-5/abstract Publication The Lancet ISSN 0140-6736, 1474-547X Date 11/11/2020 Extra Publisher: Elsevier PMID: 33188731 Journal Abbr The Lancet DOI 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32348-5 Library Catalog www.thelancet.com Language English Abstract Pneumonia kills people, young and old. The world has been reminded of the toll of pneumonia as countries struggle to control the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has claimed more than 1 million lives so far in 2020,1 but other infectious diseases have caused pneumonia-related mortality for decades. Although there has been a commendable 54% decline in pneumonia-related deaths among children younger than 5 years since 2000, pneumonia is still the leading infectious cause of child deaths and claims more than 800 000 children's lives every year (WHO Maternal and Child Epidemiology Estimation, unpublished).