IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 863 

Recognizing the scourge of pneumonia, urging the United States and the 

world to mobilize cooperation and prioritize resources to fight pneumonia 

and save children’s lives, and recognizing November 2 as World Pneumonia Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 23, 2009 

Ms. SHEA-PORTER (for herself, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. PAYNE, 

Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. 

NADLER of New York, Mr. MASSA, Ms. SCHWARTZ, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. CARNEY, Mr. HOLT, Mr. 

PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. HIMES, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. 

VISCLOSKY, Mr. SNYDER, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. WATERS, Mr. PERLMUTTER, 

Mr. WALZ, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. MURTHA, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. YARMUTH, 

Ms. WOOLSEY, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. HODES, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. JOHNSON

of Georgia, Mr. HALL of New York, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. TITUS, Ms. 

KILROY, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, and Mr. SHERMAN) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the scourge of pneumonia, urging the United 

States and the world to mobilize cooperation and 

prioritize resources to fight pneumonia and save children’s lives, and recognizing November 2 as World Pneumonia Day. 

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•HRES 863 IH 

Whereas pneumonia kills an estimated 4,000,000 people 

every year, according to the World Health Organization 

and UNICEF; 

Whereas more than 15,000,000 episodes of pneumonia occur 

every year among children under the age of five in developing countries, accounting for more than 95 percent of 

all new cases worldwide; 

Whereas of the 8,800,000 children under the age of five who 

die every year, up to 2,000,000 die from pneumonia; 

Whereas pneumonia kills 1 child every 15 seconds; 

Whereas pneumonia kills more children than any other illness, burying more each year than AIDS, malaria, and 

measles combined; 

Whereas an estimated 26 percent of neonatal deaths within 

the first month after birth are caused by severe infections, including pneumonia; 

Whereas these deaths occur primarily in the world’s poorest 

countries; 

Whereas for every child who dies of pneumonia in an industrialized country, more than 2,000 children die of pneumonia in poor countries; 

Whereas pneumonia is a preventable and treatable problem; 

Whereas more than 1,000,000 lives could be saved each year 

through prevention and treatment; 

Whereas many childhood pneumonia deaths can be prevented 

with early diagnosis; 

Whereas immunizing children against measles, whooping 

cough, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and pneumococcus could cut the rate of severe pneumonia in half; 

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•HRES 863 IH 

Whereas in developing countries, studies indicate that only 

one in four caregivers know the two key symptoms of 

pneumonia, fast and difficult breathing, which indicate 

that a child should be treated immediately; 

Whereas fewer than 1⁄3 of children suffering from pneumonia 

in the developing world receive antibiotics available for 

less than $1; 

Whereas health professionals agree that prevention and treatment of pneumonia must be a priority in broader, coordinated child survival strategies; 

Whereas in the context of child survival strategies, pneumonia control requires a three-prong program of protection, prevention, and treatment; 

Whereas preventing and treating childhood pneumonia is critical to reaching the Millennium Development Goals target 

to reduce by 2⁄3, between 1990 and 2015, the mortality 

rate of children under the age of five; 

Whereas the United States has endorsed the Millennium Development Goals; and 

Whereas World Pneumonia Day is recognized on November 

2 annually: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) affirms its commitment to international 

3 child survival and development programs that 

4 prioritize protection, prevention, and treatment 

5 against pneumonia; 

6 (2) salutes the health professionals and commu7 nity health workers on the front lines in the world’s 

8 poorest countries who are extending preventative 

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•HRES 863 IH 

1 care and treatment to children most at-risk of con2 tracting pneumonia; 

3 (3) reaffirms the United States commitment to 

4 reaching the Millennium Development Goals, par5 ticularly for reducing child mortality; and 

6 (4) recognizes World Pneumonia Day. 

Æ 

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