ISLAMABAD: Professor Javed Akram, the interim health minister for Punjab, stated on Monday that a significant contributing factor to children’s pneumonia fatalities is the low breastfeeding rate.
Speaking to a private news channel, he explained that the health department is promoting breastfeeding and feeding of infants at a young age because it can also lead to stunted growth in children.
In response to a follow-up query, he stated that the Punjab has recorded almost 17,000 cases of pneumonia this year, with a 1.3% fatality rate.
He asserted that the media should launch extensive public awareness campaigns to inform people of the advantages of breastfeeding and the importance of getting immunized on time.
“Most children who get pneumonia are undernourished and have low immunity,” he added, emphasizing that breastfeeding is the best way for moms to strengthen their children’s defenses against infections like pneumonia.
According to the Minister of Health, the current government continues to place a high premium on promoting breastfeeding and addressing malnutrition, with key ministries and departments working nonstop to reduce pneumonia cases and address the problem of malnutrition.
In response to a query, he stated that the common winter season and the ensuing air pollution, particularly smog, were to blame for the increase in pneumonia cases in Punjab. The increase in pneumonia occurrences has been attributed in large part to smog, a byproduct of air pollution.
The minister went on to say that things are getting better as the harshness of the winter season lessens in the upcoming months.
