Neetushree’s Story

Neetushree: The financial burden of pneumonia

Bangalore, India

After Neetushree’s fever was accompanied by a severe cough, her parents began to worry and took her to the nearest hospital. The diagnosis of pneumonia meant that this 1 year old toddler would have to be referred to a larger to determine the severity of her case. Once the family arrived at this new hospital they discovered that Neetushree’s pneumonia was so severe that it required immediate surgery. Neetushree remained in the hospital for a month after surgery. The financial toll of having a child in the hospital for a month has caused the family to incur a large debt threatens the health of their whole family.

Pneumonia can be a costly disease when it is not treated early. Early diagnosis and treatment for pneumonia can be done at the local level to avoid complications leading to surgery in hospital and related financial disaster.