Pneumonia is killing our people so let's step up and fight against it

Portable X-ray machines can help with early pneumonia diagnosis so treatment can be started promptly. — Filepic

It was recently announced that pneumonia was the leading cause of death in Malaysia in 2023, with more than 18,000 deaths recorded.

The situation is not too dissimilar globally – according to the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), pneumonia claimed the lives of 2.2 million people in 2021, including 502,000 children aged less than five years and 152,000 newborn babies.