By Muslim Parrot Reporter
The clamor of infant coughs and strained lungs serves as a haunting symphony, echoing the toll of an unforgiving winter exacerbated by pervasive smog and lagging vaccination rates. Lahore, an eastern megacity, finds itself enveloped in smog every winter, boasting pollution levels that rank among the most severe globally.
The recent winter has proven exceptional, characterized by unusual dryness and intense cold, leaving children susceptible to respiratory infections, as explained by medical experts. In January alone, the eastern Punjab province recorded over 18,000 cases of pneumonia, accompanied by nearly 300 fatalities. Shockingly, approximately half of childhood pneumonia deaths are attributed to air pollution, according to UNICEF.
In response to this crisis, the provincial government has taken measures, including the extension of school holidays, reduction of classroom hours, and the mandatory use of face masks to safeguard children. However, the Children’s Hospital in Lahore continues to witness a daily influx of hundreds of pneumonia cases.
Rashid Liaquat, a concerned father, sits outside the hospital with his three-year-old son, Mohammad Ali, who recently developed a high fever. Liaquat rushed his son to the clinic upon hearing alarming breathing sounds during sleep, leading to a pneumonia diagnosis.
While Ali’s recovery is progressing well due to full immunization, many children remain vulnerable due to low vaccine uptake, emphasized by senior doctor Junaid Rashid. Pakistan provides free vaccinations for respiratory diseases at six, 10, and 14 weeks of age, yet misinformation and resistance, partly fueled by religious objections, persist.
The country grapples with increasing vaccine uptake, battling against misinformation in a nation where certain fringe clerics declare vaccination un-Islamic. Additionally, the prevalence of premature births and malnutrition-induced stunting compounds the problem, leaving children weakened and susceptible to pneumonia.
As Pakistan contends with the intersection of a harsh winter, hazardous smog, and vaccine hesitancy, the urgency to address these intertwined challenges becomes paramount to safeguarding the nation’s youngest population from the devastating impact of pneumonia.