BACOLOD City – Around 1,000 senior citizens here received vaccination against pneumonia and flu as part of the city government’s efforts to protect them from respiratory infections.
Dr. Jovy Vergara, assistant city health officer, said pneumonia ranks second and third in terms of morbidity and mortality, respectively, among those 60 years old and above.
The disease could be lethal or life-threatening for senior citizens, Vergara added during the immunization activity at the Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports Center on Thursday.
“Among the elderly, especially those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia is more dangerous as their immune system is weaker,” he said.
Vergara added most elderly patients seek treatment only during the last stage of the disease.
Pneumonia causes inflammation of the air sacs in one or both lungs. It can be caused by a variety of organisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi. Symptoms may include breathing difficulty, coughing, fever, and weakness.
Aside from weakened immune system, elderly patients with pneumonia are more prone to severe complications, hospitalization and death due to pre-existing health conditions and illnesses such as diabetes, chronic lung disease and kidney or heart conditions, among others.
In the Philippines, pneumonia accounted for over 57,000 deaths among Filipinos annually in the past decade, according to authorities.
In 2010 alone, 57,809 deaths due to pneumonia were recorded – making it the top five leading causes of death in the country, reports said.
Vergara said pneumonia is a vaccine-preventable disease, noting that the government is putting a premium on various programs like free vaccination especially among the elderly.
Persons with disabilities aged 50 years old and above also availed of free pneumonia and flu vaccination during the activity dubbed “Bakunado si Lolo at Lola, Iwas Pulmonya” with vaccines provided by the Department of Health in Western Visayas.(With a report from PNA/PN)
