Stop Pneumonia is an initiative that provides a voice for communities who suffer from the devastating consequences of this disease and who lack access to lifesaving interventions. While progress has been made in reducing deaths due to pneumonia, a continued focus and sustained investment in child health is needed to provide simple and effective solutions to finish the job. The Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia provides leadership on these advocacy efforts and is comprised of NGOs, academic institutions, government agencies, and foundations. The goals of Stop Pneumonia are to:
1. Raise awareness about pneumonia, the world’s leading infectious killer of children under the age of 5
2. Promote interventions to protect against, prevent, and treat pneumonia and highlight proven approaches and solutions in need of additional resources and attention
3. Generate action, including continued donor investment, to combat pneumonia and other common, yet sometimes deadly, childhood diseases
The initiative draws upon the contributions of advocates and health workers working to fight preventable child deaths, and highlights the impact of their efforts. We strive to educate other advocates, donors, and policy makers about the essential need for progress on pneumonia in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3—reducing child mortality. Stop Pneumonia is spearheaded by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. IVAC helps coordinate efforts and amplify the voice of advocates around the world during World Pneumonia Day, observed on November 12 since 2009. On this day, the global health community comes together to recognize the importance of fighting pneumonia.
