An unfitting response on World Asthma Day

Health experts link lack of awareness, rising air pollution with increasing cases.

ISLAMABAD:

According to the Health Awareness Society, there around 7.5 million people suffering from asthma in Pakistan, while 57 per cent of these lack basic knowledge about the disease. Despite such alarming figures, the World Asthma day, observed yesterday across the world to improve asthma awareness and care around the world, did not receive a fitting response in Islamabad. There were no seminars or drives held in the city to observe the day. Heath experts, however, advised locals that “with regular assessment and the right treatment, asthmatics can enjoy a normal lifestyle”, an appraisal inline with this year’s World Asthma Day theme “You Can Control Your Asthma”.

Asthma is a common chronic lung disease with two main causes: inflammation and tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways. Its early symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness and coughing. According to health experts, asthma can be controlled if treated properly, however, unfortunately majority of the people in Pakistan are unaware of its treatment and the rising levels of air pollution is leaving more patients prone to the disease.

Talking the The Express Tribune, a senior consultant at Shifa International Hospital, Dr Athar Rana said that due to lack of awareness about the disease, people fail to recognise symptoms of asthma when in its initial stages, which becomes problematic when left untreated, especially among children. “A person who has a family history of asthma and have light coughing should immediately consult a doctor,” he said. Dr Rana stressed that air pollution from cars and factories is contributing to increasing cases of asthma in the country.

According to statistics of the Health Awareness Society, Karachi and Multan has the highest number of asthma cases because of higher levels of air pollution in these cities. The data reveals that almost 90 per cent of asthmatics in the country are not leading a normal life. While 30 per cent asthma patients in Pakistan suffer from night-time symptoms of the disease on a regular basis, 60 per cent adult asthma patients in Pakistan go home early because of this condition. Majority of these asthma patients are still unaware that asthma is a manageable disease.

Director Health Awareness Society Dr Samia Babar said there most patients are unaware of asthma during initial stage of the disease, and instead of consulting a doctor the patients try to use homemade remedies or go in open areas when they face difficulty in breathing. Besides this, she said another important issue is that many specialists just prescribed inhalers – a medical device used for delivering medication into the body via the lungs – to their patients without guiding them how to use these medical devices. She said there are two types of inhalers available for asthma treatment, relievers and controllers. While regular use of controller inhalers is essential for complete asthma control, relievers are used to give an instant relief during emergency, she said.

She said that in our society there are some people who consider asthma as a communicable disease and avoid company of people who are suffering from it. “Some parents try to hide that their daughters suffer from asthma for fear that their chances of attracting good proposals will diminish or their marriages will break up,” she said.



Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2011.