Caloocan revs up drive vs pneumonia

MANILA, Philippines - The Caloocan City government launched last week its Learn, Outreach, Vaccinate, Engage (LOVE) health campaign against pneumonia, which mostly affects children and the elderly during inclement weather.

Mayor Enrico Echiverri tasked the local health department to spearhead the program, which he said aims to lower “pneumonia cases and fatalities among children,” particularly those five years old and below.

He reminded residents that pneumonia is “usually communicable” by direct contact with an infected person or through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Pneumonia often begins after two or three days of a cold or sore throat.

The launch of the program was held at the Glorietta Park, attended by around 2,000 residents and led by the mayor’s wife Puri Echiverri, Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas president Ricojudge Echiverri and local officials from the city’s 188 barangays.

The event was highlighted by a lecture of Dr. Lulu Bravo on pneumonia prevention and the turnover of vaccines against the disease. – Pete Laude, Jerry Botial