This week in Athens, Greece, pediatricians from around the world have come together at the International Pediatric Association meeting to discuss the best ways to reduce the staggering number of infant deaths in poor countries. It is heartbreaking that millions of children die every year of diseases that are entirely curable and preventable. Diseases which hardly occur in rich countries take a terrible toll in the developing world, robbing nations of adults who can contribute to economies, care for the infirm and elderly, and assume vital leadership positions.
Two of the most devastating and under-recognized diseases facing our children are pneumonia and meningitis. Pneumonia kills 2 million children a year and causes more infant deaths than AIDS and malaria combined. Worldwide, more than 1 million people suffer from bacterial meningitis each year. Among children in developing countries, meningitis kills 20 percent of those infected, while up to 35 percent may go on to develop lifelong disabilities such as mental retardation or hearing loss.
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