UN says $39 billion can save 5.3 million children

The United Nation said its strategies, which can only implementable with a fund of $39 billion, could prevent 5.3 children from dying pneumonia in developing countries by 2015, Reuters reported.

The US estimated that the disease kills 1.8 million children under the age of five years every year; right now there are few resources available that can be used to avoid global tragedy, the World Health Organization and UN Children's Fund were cited as saying.

The health agencies appealed for funding to implement a six-year plan for pneumonia prevention and treatment in 68 poor countries - mostly in Africa and Asian, but also in parts of Central and South America.

"We know the strategy will work, and if it is applied in every high-burden country, we will be able to prevent millions of deaths," Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization, was quoted as saying.

The agencies proposed that mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months, increase vaccination rates and expand the access to treatment.

Reuters reported that children in rich countries are routinely vaccinated against infections that cause pneumonia, but in poor countries, vaccination is not as widespread.

One leading cause for pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria, which are particularly risky for the elderly, the very young, people with compromised immune systems and those who have underlying medical conditions.

Right now, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine can protect against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria.

People aged 2 to 64 who have the following conditions may be better off getting vaccinated:

Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma or leukemia, kidney failure, multiple myelomanephrotic syndrome, HIV infection or AIDS damaged spleen, or those who have undergone spleen/organ transplants.

People aged 2 to 64 who are receiving certain treatments with long-term steroids,  certain cancer drugs, and radiation therapy may also better off getting a shot.

By David Liu and editing by Rachel Stockton