At a time when many citizens have got the complete dose of COVID-19 vaccines and others are waiting for the second dose, septuagenarians in Nepal's Lalitpur are being inoculated with anti-pneumonia jabs.
The metropolis has planned to conduct the inoculation drive in multiple phases diving them into the certain number of wards starting from the end of October. With the inoculation drive in progress, the Lalitpur Metropolis has become the first local level in the country to vaccine its elderly population against pneumonia.
"At the time of COVID pandemic we got the anti-COVID vaccine which has ensured our protection from fatality, we have trust on it and would always trust it. But there always was fear of pneumonia, now vaccines against it have been rolled out from all the wards which have added on our happiness," Riddhi Pradhan, one of the recipients of the anti-pneumonia vaccine told ANI.
The Metropolis has been providing (PCV-13), anti-pneumonia vaccine to senior citizens on the basis of citizenship certificate and recommendation of the ward office. Further it plans to inoculate population in the age group of 70 to 73 years in second phase.
As per the record, there are about 2,800 senior citizens in this age group and the second phase would start very soon.
"Elderlies are more prone to pneumonia, as such vaccine has been rolled out they are extremely happy. This campaign is now being carried out under the co-ordination of Laltipur Metropolitan City and has brought cheerfulness," Sabita Acharya, one of the local government appointed health worker told ANI.
Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, and leaves children fighting for breath as their lungs fill with pus and fluid. It is the biggest single killer of children as well as elderlies. Last year alone it claimed lives of 800,000 children or a child every 39 seconds.
( With inputs from ANI )
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