PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The “Saans Abhiyan” campaign, titled “If there is no pneumonia, childhood is safe,” was launched at the District Hospital in commemoration of Pneumonia Day on Wednesday. This initiative aims to eradicate pneumonia and will run from November 12, 2025, to February 28, 2026. During the launch, parents and guardians of children aged between birth and five years received information about the symptoms, prevention and treatment of pneumonia.
Speaking during the occasion, the Dehradun chief medical officer Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma emphasised that pneumonia is a significant cause of mortality among children under five years of age. He stated that with the right precautions and accurate information, it is easy to protect children from pneumonia. The campaign’s objective is to identify pneumonia in children early and provide prompt, effective treatment. He confirmed that essential medicines and equipment have been arranged in health centres and hospitals and instructions have been issued to ensure complete vaccination with the pneumococcal vaccine (PCV), he said.
Sharma further urged parents to exclusively breastfeed every newborn for the first six months, highlighting the importance of a mother’s first thick, yellow milk as a critical source of immunity. After six months, he advised parents to provide easily digestible and nutritious food along with milk and to ensure timely vaccinations, which will contribute to the national goal of eliminating pneumonia.
The additional CMO, Dr Nidhi Rawat said that health workers and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers have been trained to identify children between birth and five years of age who show symptoms of pneumonia in their respective areas.
Senior paediatrician Dr Meeta Srivastava stated that the symptoms of pneumonia are easily recognisable. If a child shows any signs such as a cough, cold, high fever, rapid breathing or rib recession while breathing, she advised parents not to waste time on home remedies and to seek immediate medical attention at a hospital.
