Innovations in Pneumonia Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Pneumonia remains the leading infectious killer of children, causing nearly 500,000 deaths each year—more than HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. Yet the disease is often overlooked, with no global fund, coordinating agency, or unified strategy. Children in low-income countries face barriers throughout their "pneumonia journey," from difficulty recognizing symptoms to limited access to antibiotics and oxygen. Pulse oximetry—a simple tool that identifies dangerously low oxygen levels—is vital for timely treatment, but remains unavailable in half of hospitals in low- and middle-income countries.

The Open Oximetry Collaborative is helping to close this gap with practical tools, training, and customizable infographics to promote proper pulse oximetry use worldwide.

At BC Children’s Hospital, researchers are also driving progress. Dr. Michael Hawkes is developing new diagnostic tools for pneumonia in resource-limited settings, and Dr. Manish Sadarangani is developing and evaluating pneumococcal and Klesbiella vaccines.

For deeper insights into why pneumonia has remained in the shadows of global health priorities and how progress can be accelerated toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, listen to this podcast interview with Leith Greenslade, founder of JustActions and coordinator of the Every Breath Counts Coalition.