Progress

Caregivers often don't recognize key symptoms of pneumonia

Caregivers play a critical role in recognizing pneumonia's symptoms and immediately seeking appropriate care for their sick children. Yet, even though pneumonia is the leading killer of children in the developing world, only one of every five caregivers knows the two tell-tale symptoms of pneumonia: fast breathing and difficult breathing.

Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) provide information on caregivers' knowledge of pneumonia's symptoms, and results from 55 surveys during the period 2000-2006 show that these common symptoms of pneumonia are not widely recognized.

FEW CAREGIVERS RECOGNIZE THE TWO KEY DANGER SIGNS:
Percentage of caregivers who know that fast or difficult breathing is a sign to seek care immediately

Source: UNICEF global databases 2007; based on 55 surveys (2000-2006)

Only half of children with pneumonia taken to appropriate care

Prompt treatment with effective antibiotics is critical for reducing deaths from pneumonia. Yet, only about half of children (56 per cent) with pneumonia in the developing world (excluding China) are taken to an appropriate health care provider. The highest levels of care-seeking behaviour for pneumonia are found in the Middle and North Africa (66 per cent) and East Asia and the Pacific (excluding China, 64 per cent), while Sub-Saharan Africa lags behind at 40 per cent.

MORE THAN HALF OF ALL CHILDREN WITH PNEUMONIA ARE TAKEN TO APPROPRIATE HEALTH PROVIDERS:
Percentage of children under-five with suspected pneumonia who are taken to an appropriate health provider, by region (2000-2006)

Source: UNICEF global databases, 2007

Wealth of new antibiotic treatment data

Despite the essential role of antibiotics in reducing child deaths from pneumonia, until recently information on antibiotic use was limited. Questions on antibiotic use for pneumonia were only recently added to MICS and DHS, and a wealth of new data on antibiotic use for childhood pneumonia has recently become available. These new data allow for a better understanding of current levels of antibiotic treatment for childhood pneumonia.

ANTIBIOTIC USE FOR PNEUMONIA - NEW DATA AVAILABLE:
Percentage of children under-five with suspected pneumonia who receive antibiotics in 36 countries (2005-2006)

Source: UNICEF global databases, 2007