Dr Alexey Kulikov: Pneumonia prevention is part of everyday NCD care
Writing on X after World Pneumonia Day, the WHO technical officer cited 2.5 million pneumonia deaths in 2023 and said prevention belongs within routine NCD care.
“That makes prevention part of everyday #NCDs care, through vaccination, cleaner air and early treatment with antibiotics and oxygen.”— Dr Alexey Kulikov
Dr Alexey Kulikov, a Technical Officer in the WHO Department of NCDs and Mental Health, marked World Pneumonia Day in a post on X. He said this year's theme, "A New Era of Pneumonia Control", reflects recent progress in vaccines, diagnostic tools and treatment.
Kulikov wrote that the burden remains large. He said pneumonia killed an estimated 2.5 million people in 2023, including 610,000 children under five. He added that Streptococcus pneumoniae was the leading bacterial cause of child deaths and that it can be prevented by vaccination.
He also stressed that pneumonia is not only a childhood disease. According to Kulikov, adults over 65 and people living with chronic conditions such as COPD, diabetes and heart disease face a higher risk of severe illness.
On that basis, he argued that prevention should be part of everyday NCD care, through vaccination, cleaner air, and early treatment with antibiotics and oxygen. He closed the post with the line "Every breath counts."
Original source
“That makes prevention part of everyday #NCDs care, through vaccination, cleaner air and early treatment with antibiotics and oxygen.”
— Dr Alexey Kulikov View the post on X
