Africa-Press – Cape verde. Pulmonologist Ofélia Monteiro said today that regular flu vaccination is an “important factor” in preventing and reducing the risk of contracting pneumonia, especially for those with a chronic illness.
The doctor, who works at the Agostinho Neto University Hospital, was speaking to Inforpress as part of World Pneumonia Day, which is celebrated on Tuesday the 12th under the motto “Defending the fight to end pneumonia”.
This specialist warned that this preventive and active measure should be taken throughout the year and not only during the period of greatest incidence of this disease, which always occurs from October to January worldwide, and also in the months of July and August, the rainy season in Cape Verde.
In this regard, she explained that a person vaccinated against the flu contributes to improving the immune response when they come into contact with the flu virus, which can result in pneumonia.
The doctor also took the opportunity to warn that it is “important” for people to know that these vaccines do not work and do not provide full-time immunity, but rather help to reduce the risk.
“The doses of these vaccines, which are called casual vaccines, need to be repeated periodically,” stressed Ofélia Monteiro, highlighting that they are recommended above all for people with chronic diseases and also for health professionals who always deal with patients.
Among the chronic patients, she highlighted those with lung and respiratory diseases, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and those with the HIV virus.
She also pointed out that people over 65 and children under 5 years of age constitute the groups with the greatest risk of developing pneumonia.
According to the same source, these vaccines are administered in health facilities annually, starting in October, especially for people with chronic diseases.
She said that since last year, health facilities have been vaccinating these groups, mainly dialysis patients and diabetics, considering that after this vaccine there was an impact on the reduction of pneumonia.
The same source reported that in 2023 the Ministry of Health acquired around 5 thousand doses of vaccines and that this year they were reinforced with another 10 thousand, to reduce the risk in ineffective populations.
And the vaccine, as she reported, is free for chronic patients, offered in health centers and hospitals. For other people considered healthy, it can be purchased in pharmacies, for “an affordable price”.
On the other hand, the pulmonologist stated that controlling chronic diseases involves avoiding the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, “essential factors” to stop the disease, considering that these are the causes conducive to the development of pneumonia.
When asked whether air pollution is also a risk factor for infection by this disease, he considered that air pollution is an “aggravating” factor for the onset of pneumonia, especially now that the world is experiencing constant climate change.
He therefore considered that due to bacteria and metals, among other residues that are present in the air, infections often result in the population, especially during the dry haze season.
As for deaths due to this disease in the country, he highlighted that there was an increase during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Because, as he explained, pneumonia cases are closely related to infection by the flu and Covid-19 viruses that alter the balance and immune response of the lungs.
The specialist also said that pneumonia is among the top five causes of hospitalization at the Praia Central Hospital and that there is a need to invest more to prevent this disease.
Ofelia Monteiro stated that according to statistics from the Ministry of Health for 2022, pneumonia was the leading cause of death from respiratory diseases and that men are more affected than women.
And that it also leads in deaths from infectious diseases.
Pneumonia is an infectious disease that affects the lungs and can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi, via the respiratory tract through influenza infection.
World Pneumonia Day was proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009, with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of preventing this disease, in order to reduce deaths caused by this respiratory infection in adults and children.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 2 million children under the age of five die from pneumonia each year.
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