HYDERABAD: With the growing burden of asthma worldwide as one of the most chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD), the global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has given the theme of “Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL” on the World Asthma Day to be observed on May 6.
As per the Global Asthma Report 2022 by the Global Asthma Network, about 35 million people in India suffer from asthma and 4,50,000 die of the disease every year across the globe.
Asthma has been found to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in rural India and is expected to increase in the coming decades.
According to doctors, the disease is usually triggered during the winter season, but in recent times, asthmatic patients are seen in hospitals throughout the year.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr T Vivek, consultant pulmonologist, Renova Century Hospitals said, “We have observed a rise of around 20-30% asthma patients in the last few years. Earlier, most of the cases were observed in the winter season, but we now see people of all age groups visiting the OPD throughout the year. Exposure to construction dust and air pollutants is one of the major contributors to the disease.”
Doctors also stressed the need for affordability and accessibility of treatment of asthma.
Prof Pramod Kumar, HoD, Pulmonary Medicine, Osmania Medical College, said, “Asthma treatment is a long duration one. Long-term use of oral steroids is very harmful, hence the inhaler is prescribed, which is a safe and very effective in topical treatment of the illness. Therefore, accessibility of inhalation therapy for one and all is very important. The drugs must be made affordable.”
He urged people to benefit from the government’s national programme for the prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), under which screening, spirometry test and treatment is provided.