About 177,000 Nigerian children under five years die annually from pneumonia-related diseases. This was disclosed at a stakeholders’ meeting by the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Agency (BSPHA), Adamu Ibrahim Gamawa. The meeting which held at the Emergency Response Center (ERC) in Bauchi, came ahead of the kick off of the Pneumonococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PVC) in 16 states later this month. He said the vaccine is aimed at tackling diseases caused by a Bacteria called ‘Streptococcus Pneumoniaea’. He said the diseases caused by the organism include; pneumonia, meningitis, bacteraemia, Middle ear infection (Otitis Media), sinusitis and bronchitis in children. According to him, reports have shown that Nigeria is among 10 countries in the world whose children under five are at a great risk of dying from pneumonococcal diseases. Gamawa noted that the reports have shown that fatality rates for pneumonia are about 20 per cent and about 50 per cent for meningitis.
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