Deadliest Childhood Disease: Pneumonia

World Pneumonia Day 2013

Pneumonia is the single largest killer of children under 5, as well as the leading infectious cause of childhood mortality. More than 3,000 children under 5 died from pneumonia every day in 2012. The disease accounts for 17 per cent of all under-five deaths, claiming the lives of 1.1 million children under 5 in 2012 – the bulk of whom are less than 2 years old.

source: worldpneumoniaday.org

Using the sun to chill vaccines in Fiji

By Karen Allen, UNICEF Pacific Representative

Women with their babies visiting Waidina Nursing station
© UNICEF Pacific/2013/MRoqica

Winding along roads bordered by lush, verdant fields and forest, we stopped to ask for directions twice. First, a friendly farmer took some time, out of politeness, to essentially tell us to "keep going straight and then turn left". After a while we checked again with a group of women carrying babies. The women laughed: "Turn your head and you will see it on your left." They were also on their way to see the nurse.