5th Annual World Pneumonia Day: Fifth Birthday Dance and More!

Pneumonia is a serious disease that has claimed the lives of 1.1 million children worldwide in 2012 alone.  For children below 5 yeas old, pneumonia tops as the cause of death because it is usually neglected and diagnosed as "mere fever".  It outnumbers AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.

Unfortunately out of the 29% child deaths that pneumonia and diarrhea has caused, 99% occurs in a developing country like the Philippines.  Thus, Millennium Development Goal 4 seeks to prevent and control pneumonia and diarrhea by reducing two-thirds of child mortality between 1990 to 2015 so that more children will be celebrating their 5th birthdays.

Fifth Birthday Dance

The Department of Health (DOH) showed its support by the observance of the 5th Annual World Pneumonia Day where Assistance Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag lead the Fifth Birthday Dance together with the Manuevers.  

Dr. Eric and the Manuevers

The event was organized by Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) headed by Executive Director, Dr. Lulu Bravo and its President Dr. May Montellano.  

Five infants from Tagaytay City were given pneumococcal conjugate vaccines designed to protect them against pneumonia.

 Now cute little kids like this boy will celebrate their 5th birthdays!

birthday candle blowing ceremony with Dr. Eric Tayag

There was also a symbolic birthday candle blowing ceremony.

The event also coincides with the PVF's 14 Philippine National Immunization Conference.

The night earlier, my friends Hana and Cha also participated in the dance practice.

Hana and Cha getting to the beat

Despite the cool winds of super typhoon Yolanda, we were almost breaking into sweat.

Hana and Cha at the Back Left

Hana in gray jacket and me with the brown jacket

But, Dr. Eric Tayag seemed to be at ease with his grooves.