Edward has joined charity 'Save the Children' in Parliament to mark the publication of a new report 'Fighting for Breath', launching Save the Children's global campaign against pneumonia.
Nearly 1 million children a year are dying from pneumonia even though it can be treated with antibiotics costing as little as 30p, as Save the Children's report sets out. The report shows that pneumonia, ‘the forgotten child killer’, is responsible for the deaths of more children under five than any other disease. It kills two children in this age group every minute - more than malaria, diarrhoea and measles combined. And more than 80% of the victims are children under two years old, many with immune systems weakened by malnutrition or insufficient breastfeeding and unable to fight the infection. Infants are at their most vulnerable in the first weeks of life.
Save the Children want to see: cheaper vaccines to prevent pneumonia and more investment in immunisation; Governments adopting Pneumonia Action Plans that provide universal access to health workers trained to diagnose accurately and early; Governments and aid donors ensuring that life-saving antibiotics are available; an expansion in the provision of the oxygen needed to help children struggling to breathe.
Following the launch of the report, Edward said: "Pneumonia is a disease that leaves desperately vulnerable children fighting for breath and their parents coping with anxiety and, all too often, the grief of loss. This important new research highlights the need for more to be done to beat pneumonia around the globe.
The UK has a strong track record of supporting global disease eradication and health programmes for those most in need around the world, a track record we can be proud of. It was a pleasure to join 'Save the Children', and to support their important work in this area, and their call for increased immunisation for under-twos, and to build on action to date to help the 400 million people worldwide with no access to health care."