The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the burden of respiratory infection deaths to more than 6 million in 2021.
Urgent action is needed to both reduce the massive burden of sickness and death from pneumonia and reduce the risk that future respiratory pandemics will kill millions more.
For World Pneumonia Day, the Mérieux Foundation and Every Breath Counts Coalition are joining forces to host a critical conversation on what governments and international agencies must do to reduce pneumonia deaths and the risk of future respiratory pandemics – featuring:
- Pneumonia and the pandemic: challenges and opportunities
Prof. Eric McCollum, Johns Hopkins University, Lesotho - Reducing a critical pneumonia risk: household air pollution
Prof. Kalpana Balakrishnan, Sri Ramachandra Institute for Higher Education and Research, India - The power of the pneumonia-fighting vaccines
Dr. Chizoba Wonodi, International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), Nigeria - The critical role of pulse oximetry in reducing child pneumonia deaths
Dr. Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, icddr,b, Bangladesh - Transforming pneumonia diagnosis: lung ultrasound and new tests for aetiology
Prof. Heather Zar, President, Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) and University of Cape Town, South Africa - Increasing access to medical oxygen: leveraging COVID-19 support
Dr. Hamish Graham, University of Melbourne and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), Australia - Exciting new vaccines to reduce pneumonia deaths in children
Dr Keith Klugman, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The webinar will also showcase video footage from the winners of the Small Grants Awards for the World Pneumonia Week of Action from 7 to 12 November 2022.
Program focal points
- Valentina Picot, Mérieux Foundation
- Leith Greenslade, Every Breath Counts Coalition