'Int'l communities must come together to plug gaps in asthma care'

By: Dr Narayan Prasad Modi
Every year, the first Tuesday of May is observed as World Asthma Day to raise awareness about this respiratory disease and bring together researchers, medical professionals, pharmacologists and healthcare groups to try to discuss ways to mitigate it, collectively.
Asthma makes breathing difficult because of the build-up of mucous that constricts the airways. During a bout of asthma, the linings of the bronchial tube swell, affecting the smooth flow of air into the lungs. It leads to insomnia, tiredness and lethargy.
Symptoms may vary depending on the person, but dry cough, inability to breathe, difficulty whistling breath, chest pain are the most common ones. Asthma attacks can occur at any time of the day and it is most severe after physical activity, at night or in cold weather. There's no permanent cure for asthma, but it can be controlled and managed, if adequate timely precautions and appropriate supervised medications are taken.
According to the Global Asthma Report 2018, more than 1000 people succumb to asthma daily. The numbers are frightening and call for massive awareness, affordable and quality healthcare and a concerted global approach. According to WHO, more than 300 million people are affected by asthma globally and what's worse, it often goes undiagnosed or is diagnosed late in most cases. This leads to chronic suffering, years lost, reduced productivity, alarming economic burden and untimely death. Early diagnosis and timely treatment, for which awareness is crucial, can save lives.
A number of gaps exist in asthma care, which require intervention in order to reduce preventable suffering as well as costs incurred by treating uncontrolled asthma.
The challenge is for international respiratory communities to work together with colleagues, patients and healthcare providers to identify and close the gaps in asthma care and to help implement and share innovative solutions locally and globally.
(The writer is an allergy & asthma specialist and associate professor, paediatrics, at SCB Medical College, Cuttack)