Delhi, Bengal top charts in pneumonia deaths

[Snowy Owl]

Delhi, Bengal top charts in pneumonia deaths
27 Apr 2008, 0400 hrs IST,Kounteya Sinha,TNN

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...n_pneumonia_deaths/rssarticleshow/2986886.cms​

NEW DELHI

It?s a top spot that both Delhi and West Bengal don?t want. But over the past three years, both these states have been in close competition to record the country?s highest number of pneumonia related deaths.

While Delhi topped the charts in 2005 by reporting 37,760 cases of pneumonia and 661 deaths, Bengal has been taking the honours for the past two years.

In 2006, Bengal reported over 89,000 cases of pneumonia and 1,151 deaths. The number stood at 54,962 cases and 620 deaths in 2007.

In 2006 and 2007, Delhi recorded the second highest number of deaths caused by pneumonia. While 351 people, specially children, died of the disease in 2006, the number last year was 418.

Maharashtra and Rajasthan appear twice in the list of top five states, with the high pneumonia related deaths since 2005. In 2005, Rajasthan recorded the fifth highest number of deaths (253) while in 2006, the state was in the third position with 350 cases.

On the other hand, Maharashtra was static at fourth position in both 2005 (373 deaths) and 2006 (243 deaths). Last year saw three new entrants in the top five list. While Uttar Pradesh recorded 374 deaths, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat recorded 213 and 140 deaths, respectively.

Some states, however, have done remarkably well in containing pneumonia related deaths in 2007. While J&K didn?t record a single death, Goa, Jharkhand and Lakshwadeep recorded one death each. Nagaland and Sikkim recorded six deaths each while Tamil Nadu and Assam recorded 9 and 10 deaths, respectively.

Health minister A Ramadoss says: "The main cause of higher mortality among pneumonia cases in children is the delay in seeking medical attention by families due to non-recognition of danger signs in a sick newborn."

This has now made an expert committee, headed by department of biotechnology secretary M K Bhan recommend the use of Pneomococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in the country?s routine immunization programme in the near future.

Pneumococcus is the leading cause of pneumonia and meningitis in the country.

According to Dr Bhan, the PCV vaccines presently available provide protection against just seven serotypes of the bacteria. The committee?s major recommendation, however, is that the vaccine used in India will have to cover at least 70% of the serotypes circulating in the country.

Dr Bhan told TOI: "We have enough evidence to show that the Pneumococcus bacteria is the dominant cause for pneumonia and meningitis. Pneumonia causes 20% of all child deaths in India."

The PCV vaccine available now cost Rs 4,500 per dose and needs to be given to infants when they are aged 6, 10, and 14 weeks followed by a booster dose. The vaccine?s protection lasts at least three years. The most serious pneumococcal infections happen during the first two years of life.

WHO considers PCV?s inclusion in the routine immunization programmes as a priority, particularly in countries with under five mortality greater than 50 per 1,000 live births, or greater than 50,000 child deaths annually like India.

India recorded a total of 7.8 lakh pneumonia cases in 2005 and 3,513 deaths. In 2006, the total cases stood at 6.8 lakh with 3,342 deaths. In 2007, both of the number of cases and deaths fell in comparison to the previous two years. While 6.6 lakh pneumonia cases were recorded in 2007, the deaths stood at 2,865.