< 5 Year Old Pneumonia

Introduction Pneumonia can kill up to 5% of all children <5 years old and is often responsible for 25% of all child deaths. The IDS pneumonia surveillance definitions are based on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) classification system. Therefore, all clinicians in the district must record classifications for “pneumonia” and “severe pneumonia” in their out-patient registers for monthly counting of cases. A high iNCIDence or increasing iNCIDence of HIV in the district may complicate the interpretation of <5 year-old pneumonia surveillance data since childhood pneumonia cases and deaths will increase with high or increasing HIV iNCIDence. In the absence of high or increasing iNCIDence of HIV, severe cases of pneumonia and pneumonia deaths should be reduced by 50% from their current high levels by the proper functioning of the health facility and community components of IMCI throughout the district. After Haemophilis influenzae type b and Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccines are introduced into district immunization programs, many mild pneumonia cases, as well as severe cases and deaths and severe cases, should be prevented.
Analysis of time, place, and person. In districts without high or increasing HIV, the following categories of < 5 year old pneumonia cases should decline:   Out-patient severe pneumonia cases   In-patient pneumonia deaths   In-patient pneumonia cases The number of out-patient (non-severe, mild) pneumonia cases may not decline since IMCI interventions are not targeting prevention of mild pneumonia cases.			Public health action and targets. WHO and UNICEF advocate that each district team use the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) strategy to address <5 year old pneumonia mortality. The main program elements of IMCI related to pneumonia are:   Education of parents and communities about prompt referral for children with general danger signs, fever, and fast or difficult breathing   Follow the health workers’ advice about treatment, follow-up and referral   Effective treatment of children <5 years old with pneumonia at health facilities   Prompt and appropriate referral of children classified as severe pneumonia from health facilities to a hospital   Appropriate in-patient management of children with pneumonia in hospitals

Reported <5 Years Old In-Patient Pneumonia Cases and Deaths

Reported <5 Years Old Out-Patient Pneumonia Cases