15% deaths among kids occur due to pneumonia: Dr P Guruprasad

Vijayawada: Pneumonia is the main reason behind 15 per cent of deaths among children below five years, stated noted physician Dr P Guruprasad while addressing the health education programme at Vasavya Nursing Home with Dr G Samaram in the chair here on Saturday.

Stating that pneumonia was mostly found among children and the aged, he said the combination of pneumonia and influenza were very dangerous. Dr Guruprasad said pneumonia occurs mainly due to bacterial and fungal infection and added in early stages pneumonia looks like cold, fever and even flu.

The patient would suffer with fever coupled with cough and sputum, which looks like rust in colour, he stated. The patients could not breathe and breathing becomes painful and pulse rate would also increase and the patient would look tired, he pointed out.

The patient would experience sweaty, suffer headache and muscle ache, he said and added the patient might become delirious and unconscious too with the body turning into blue.

The pneumonia among children should be diagnosed in early stages and treated immediately, he stated. People with the habits of smoking and drinking were prone to pneumonia, the doctor said.

Pneumonia was found among HIV positives and cancer patients since their resistance power of lungs was reduced, he revealed. Pneumonia could be diagnosed through x-ray and blood tests, the doctor said that vaccination was available to prevent pneumonia. Dr Maru proposed a vote of thanks.