Pakistan's forgotten epidemic: Pneumonia and diarrhea

67,226 under-5 fatalities reported in 2023

KARACHI: Pakistan ranked fourth among 15 focus countries worldwide, accounting for 67,226 deaths among children under five due to pneumonia and diarrhea in 2023, as reported in the latest Pneumonia and Diarrhea Progress Report (2024) by the International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The report highlighted a 12% decrease in pneumonia and diarrhea deaths compared to 76,553 deaths in Pakistan in 2022. Vaccination coverage improved slightly: MCV1 (84%), RotaC (90%), PCV3 (86%), Hib3 (86%), and DPT3 (86%). Exclusive breastfeeding remained steady at 48%, up from 47% in 2022.

Pakistani children’s deaths due to pneumonia and diarrhea equated to 11/1000 live births, compared to 13/1000 of 2022.  

Like other 14 surveyed countries with the greatest burden of under-5 pneumonia and diarrhea deaths, Pakistan was not found up to the mark when it comes to meeting certain targets of protecting, preventing and treating under-five children from pneumonia and diarrhea.

Pakistan struggled to meet Global Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhea (GAPPD) targets. Only 71% of pneumonia-suspected children received appropriate healthcare, 46% received antibiotics, 37% with diarrhea received Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), and 13% received zinc supplements.

The IVAC report in question included 15 countries, which were analysed for 10 key indicators (interventions). The coverage targets set by GAPPD for its recommended interventions for countries are: 50% coverage of exclusive breastfeeding for the child’s first six months of life; 90% coverage for pertussis, measles, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), pneumococcal conjugate, and rotavirus vaccines; 90% treatment for children with diarrhea, including treatment with ORS –a mixture of clean water, salt and sugar—and zinc supplement and 90% treatment coverage for children with suspected pneumonia, including care by an appropriate healthcare provider and antibiotics.   

Pakistan gained one point in the 2024 GAPPD pneumonia score card in comparison to 2023. Its overall score remained 65—pneumonia (72) and diarrhea (54).

It is estimated globally that 1 in 4 deaths of children under 5 years due to pneumonia –1.17 million deaths per year. As many as 726,000 children die per year due to pneumonia and 444,000 due to diarrhea. 


IVAC Executive Director Dr William Moss says: We have seen incredible progress against preventable childhood deaths over the past decades, but disruptions to health systems and stagnated immunisation coverage rates continue to threaten the health and safety of the most vulnerable children. “We cannot allow persistent gaps in basic child health services to continue – the global health community must mobilise to prevent the resurgence of preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, and measles.”

The report analysed 15 countries, none meeting the 86% GAPPD target -- the mean Overall GAPPD score across all 15 countries was 50%, 2% more than last year. Scores ranged from Somalia's 23% to India's 69%.                                                     

-- IV Desk

With an uninterrupted 23-year career in daily journalism (1991-2013), the author/editor of this blog currently serves as Editor of Social Track, a weekly newspaper focused on social sectors, based in Karachi. Holding a master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Karachi (1990), his professional experience includes roles as senior reporter at Daily Dawn, Karachi (May 2001-August 2013) and Chief Reporter at The News International, Karachi (April 1991-May 2001). He has a strong background in development journalism, he has an extensive portfolio of news stories, analytical reports and features covering a wide range of sectors. He has had the privilege of covering numerous high-profile figures, including Pakistani presidents, prime ministers, army chiefs, foreign dignitaries, and VVIPs and attending conferences and workshops abroad. He began his journalism career in the early 1980s. Throughout his career, he has received several national awards from government and private organisations. He has contributed to various radio and TV/channel broadcasts and has also served as a trainer at workshops in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focused on training journalists.

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