Pneumonia

Last year, nearly 1 million under-fives around the world died from pneumonia. That's more than diarrhoea, malaria and measles combined.

Despite the facts, many people don't realise just how deadly pneumonia is for young children. It's not only a disease that affects the elderly, but one which stalks young children in developing countries. 

For the children suffering, it’s a lonely battle. Their lungs stop working, filling up with fluid until every gasping breath becomes agony.

Many die from exhaustion – their fragile bodies simply too shattered to fight any more.

Every child who dies from pneumonia is being cheated of the chance to grow. And their parents must watch as the dreams they held for them are shattered before their eyes.

Here's the simple truth: Pneumonia stalks the weakest.

However, the factors that allow it to kill so many children are more complex.

In the world’s toughest countries, it’s the poorest and most vulnerable children who are more likely to suffer. Conditions like malnutrition and diarrhoea leave them weak and at greater risk of pneumonia.

They’re also exposed to dirty air that makes their little lungs vulnerable to infection and bacteria.

For many children, the odds are stacked against them from the day they’re born.

A lottery of birth is denying them access to the life-saving healthcare they desperately need.

They’re not getting the necessary vaccinations, and their symptoms aren’t being spotted until it’s too late. 

Despite its prevalence, we know how to prevent and treat pneumonia.

We're scaling up our programmes on the ground and joining forces with partners to get life-saving vaccines and antibiotics to children.

We're also calling on governments to ensure all children have access to healthcare, regardless of where they are. We can't fight this alone. We need your help.

Help us by donating and joining our campaign against pneumonia today.