KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmad has said pneumonia causes 13 percent deaths in children. It is one of the major killer diseases among children as around 20 million children, up to the age of years, die around the world due to this disease each year, he said. In a statement, the minister was giving his comments in view of the first ever World Pneumonia Day, which will be observed on November 2. He said a considerable number of children die due to pneumonia in Pakistan, the main reason of which is lack of awareness about this disease. Dr Sagheer further said the health department is trying hard to minimise the mortality rates of mother and children. An extensive programme named Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) has been started. He said that according to estimates, out of 1,000 newborns, 30 die in their first week, 54 in the first month, 78 in the first year of life and 94 before the age of five years from various diseases including pneumonia. He further said the lack of immunisation is also causing deaths in children under five years of age for which these is a dire need of public awareness. ppi

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