World Pneumonia Day [12th November, 2023]

Each year on 12th November, World Pneumonia Day is marked for spreading awareness about the disease. Every year, pneumonia affects 55 million children under the age of 5 globally. As most people are still unaware of the causes, and prevention of the disease, World Pneumonia Day is organized around the world to educate people.

The first World Pneumonia Day was celebrated in 2009, with the participation of over 100 different organizations from around the world. Read the information below to learn about the history, significance, and more about Pneumonia Day.

World Pneumonia Day 2023

World Pneumonia Day will be celebrated on Sunday, 12th November 2023. This day is an annual global occurrence that aims to educate people about the deadly disease, pneumonia, its cause, and possible prevention. The celebration of World Pneumonia Day is also an opportunity for policymakers and healthcare workers to come up with better ideas to deal with the disease.

About Pneumonia:

• Pneumonia is an illness that causes an inflammatory reaction in the lungs.
• The disease has four stages: Congestion, Hepatisation of the red blood cells, Gray hepatization, and Resolution.
• Although bacterial diseases affect the bulk of pneumonia cases, viral infections such as influenza or even the COVID-19 infection could also invade the lungs and cause substantial inflammatory harm, as illustrated by the current pandemic.
• A variety of factors can cause pneumonia. In India, tuberculosis remains a leading cause of pneumonia, particularly among the poor and those with weakened immune systems.
• People who smoke, those with a history of drinking or any other illicit substance usage, and those with pre-existing chronic respiratory disorders such as COPD have been found to have a greater prevalence of pneumonia.

World Pneumonia Day 2022 Theme

World Pneumonia Day has a unique theme every year, based on which the events, and discussions are organized for the day. The official campaign and theme for the day is announced by the official organization. This year, World Pneumonia Day 2022 theme is “Championing the fight against pneumonia.”

History of World Pneumonia Day

World Pneumonia Day was first celebrated in 2009 on November 12. Organizations like the Global Coalition joined together to shed light on Child Pneumonia and initiated the day for that purpose.

Ambassadors of Save The Children organization, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Hugh Laurie, Charles MacCormack, Lance Laifer of Hedge Funds vs Malaria & Pneumonia, Orin Levine of PneumoADIP, and others began a call to action where they asked people to participate in World Pneumonia Day. here are some facts about World Pneumonia Day:

• In 2021, International Pneumonia Day took place on November 12, alongside COP 26 - the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
• World Pneumonia Day is a key opportunity to bring together all the healthcare, air circulation, and climate communities to combat the world's deadliest infectious disease.
• Polluted air is the primary cause of pneumonia deaths throughout all age categories. Polluted air was responsible for about one-third of all pneumonia fatalities in 2019, impacting around 749,200 deaths. A total of 423,000 people died due to indoor air pollution, whereas 326,000 died as a result of outdoor air pollution.

Significance of World Pneumonia Day

Pneumonia, an acute respiratory disease caused by viruses or bacteria, seems to be the leading infectious killer among children and adults, killing 2.5 million people in 2019 alone, particularly 6,72,000 children.

The dramatic rise in Covid pneumonia cases is projected to add greatly to the overall number of pneumonia-related deaths. Consequently, India is responsible for 23% of the world's pneumonia prevalence, with case fatality rates ranging from 14-to 30%.

World Pneumonia Day is thus held on November 12 each year to raise awareness about the deadly disease. Air quality intervention is necessary. Air pollutants will have major health and environmental benefits.

International Pneumonia Day is founded to gather nations with high rates of pneumonia and carbon emissions and pledge to decrease air pollution-related pneumonia mortality by 50% before World Pneumonia Day 2030.

FAQs on World Pneumonia Day

Q1. What is World Pneumonia Day?

World Pneumonia Day is a day dedicated to spreading awareness about pneumonia disease, its wide prevalence, its causes, and its prevention. This day is celebrated on 12th November every year with the aim of educating people about the disease.

Q2. When is World Pneumonia Day?

World Pneumonia Day is observed on 12th November every year. This day was established in 2009 to make people aware of the consequences and issues associated with pneumonia because it is the leading cause of morbidity among children under the age of five.

Q3. What is the World Pneumonia Day 2022 theme?

World Pneumonia Day 2022 theme is “Championing the fight against pneumonia.” This theme indicates that the world is still in the process of championing the fight against the disease, which affects 155 million children worldwide on a global scale.

Q4. Who established World Pneumonia Day?

On November 12, 2009, the Global Alliance against Child Pneumonia gathered over 100 groups representing children’s well-being to mark the very first World Pneumonia Day. Ever since then, World Pneumonia Day has been celebrated worldwide every year.

Q5. Where is Pneumonia most prominent?

Children and families are affected by pneumonia all over the world, but mortality rates are greatest in Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, World Pneumonia Day aims to bring awareness across these places and eradicate pneumonia cases.