Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 80 | Published: 10 Oct 2026
Augustine Darkwa Opoku1,2,&, Florence Nzilanye Iddrisah1, Yaw Asamoah Karikari1, Benjamin Kojo Safo Acquah1, Daniel Derby3, Ernest Kenu1
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, 2Kwaebibrem Municipal Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Eastern Region, Ghana, 3Denkyembour District Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Eastern Region, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Augustine Darkwa Opoku, Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; Email: augustine.opoku@rocketmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8775-7676
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 10 Oct 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Pneumonia, children under five, surveillance data, Denkyembour District.
©Augustine Darkwa Opoku et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Augustine Darkwa Opoku et al., Trend of pneumonia in children under five years in Denkyembour District, Eastern Region, 2014-2023. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):80. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0080
Pneumonia is prevalent in most African countries, particularly in Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia, causing 14% of deaths in children under five. The burden persists, with only 60% of children having access to care and 39% being exclusively breastfed. Understanding the current burden and distribution is critical for public health interventions and child survival. This study determined the incidence, distribution, and trends of pneumonia among children under five years in the Denkyembour District.
A descriptive analysis of secondary data from the District Health Management Information System 2 (DHIMS 2) and Monthly Morbidity Returns in the Denkyembour district was conducted. We calculated proportions and incidence, developed epidemic curves, established cumulative sum (CUSUM 2) thresholds, and generated choropleth maps using QGIS software. Results were presented in tables, text, and charts.
Of the 4,294 pneumonia cases, age group 1-4 years had the highest proportion (71.5%, 3072/4,294), with males constituting the majority 55.7% (2392/4,292). Lowest proportions of cases were reported in Apinamang (0.0%, 0/4,294), Boadua (0.1%, 3/4,294), and Topremang (0.2%, 10/4,294) sub-districts. The overall incidence was 243 cases per 10,000 children. Akwatia sub-district reported the highest incidence rate of 679 cases per 10,000 children. The annual incidence ranged 64 cases per 10,000 children in 2020 to 454 cases per 10,000 children in 2022. Multiple peaks were observed in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023, with periodic fluctuations.
The study highlighted the epidemiological patterns of pneumonia in the Denkyembour District over the past decade showed a high burden among children aged 1-4 years, predominantly in males. Spatial variations and lower cases across the three sub-districts need further investigation to identify potential surveillance gaps. The fluctuating temporal trends, emphasize the need for year-round surveillance. Public health efforts should target high-burdened age groups and sub-districts, while strengthening surveillance systems.
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