After Brian watched his grandmother suffer with pneumonia, he began researching methodologies for diagnosing the disease [pneumonia] and its treatments. During his research, he discovered that the illness affects far more children than it does in adults.
Reports according to UNICEF show that, pneumonia kills half a million children under five in sub-Saharan Africa every year, with the region accounting for half of all global deaths from pneumonia of children under five.
“Many of those deaths are because of misdiagnosis,” says Brian.
“In the villages and remote areas, children get sick – and the first reaction is to treat them for malaria. Most people are aware of malaria, and the signs for malaria and pneumonia are very similar, so it is difficult for health professionals to differentiate,” he adds.
Even when a correct diagnosis is made, treatment is often unavailable. According to the Uganda Paediatrics Association (UPA), fewer than 20% of children with pneumonia receive antibiotics, which cost less than a dollar.
