World Asthma Day 2018: The day aims at educating people about the latest treatments and most effective ways to control asthma. (Source: Getty Images)
How sick are your lungs? To answer this question, one might have to consider the air quality we breathe, the fast-paced lifestyle that is often accompanied by cigarette smoke and of course, other than the general environmental factors, genetics. With the number of deaths due to respiratory problems increasing every year, chronic conditions like asthma and COPD have come to warrant special attention and the health of lungs have become a primary concern.
According to a study published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine Journal, out of the four lakhs deaths caused by asthma, about one lakh are in India. The study also noted that most cases of asthma can be treated or prevented with affordable interventions, but people often go undiagnosed or undertreated.
To help alleviate this condition of ignorance and acquaint people with the latest and most effective treatments available, World Asthma Day is celebrated on the first Tuesday of every May. This year, it falls on May 1.
HISTORY OF WORLD ASTHMA DAY
Asthma, which is a chronic infection of the lungs and causes difficulty in breathing, has many symptoms that change in frequency and severity over time. These include breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest and are often triggered by allergens. To raise awareness, Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) initiated World Asthma Day in 1998. Organised by healthcare workers in over 35 countries, it aims to educate people on how best to get control over this respiratory problem.
Ever since, the day has had special themes every year and for 2018 it is ‘Allergy and Asthma’ – dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of asthma.