ISLAMABAD, May 4: Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro has called for an upbeat campaign against Asthma, increasing all over the world. He was speaking as chief guest at a ceremony held to create awareness about all types of allergies and asthma.
The programme was organized by the National Allergy Movement (NAM) here on Tuesday. The World Asthma Day held every year on the first Tuesday in May.
According to statistics, it was estimated that over 30 million people in the country suffer from one or both the diseases. "It's high time for all of us to play our role to create awareness on asthma among the public, as it is increasing at dangerous level in the country", the senate chairman said.
Timely diagnosis of asthma, Mr Soomro said, could permanently save children from this disease, which could prove fatal. He also impressed upon doctors and pharmaceutical companies to be part of this campaign to make it a success.
The NAM's chief consultant, Dr Mohammad Osman Yusuf, said one in 20 people in the world now had been suffering from asthma, and it could affect 300 million people worldwide.
The number is correlated with growing urbanization and adoption of more western lifestyles by communities around the globe, and as these trends continue, asthma would continue to increase, Dr Osman said. According to figures released by the Pakistan Chest Society, it is estimated that up to 10 per cent population might be suffering from asthma, he said.
He also referred to a study conducted by Aga Khan Hospital Karachi and the allergy and asthma clinics in Islamabad, which showed that in Pakistan an alarming increase had been observed in allergy patients from 1997 to 2002. It is serious to note that more than 30 to 40 per cent of apparently healthy children in the country suffer from allergies, and there is a 75 per cent chance that these children will develop asthma in the later years, he added.
Highlighting the symptoms of the disease, he said common symptoms of allergy were sneezing, running nose, itchy and watery eyes, frequent sore throats and itching on skin. These symptoms of allergy, if properly diagnosed, prevented and treated, can prevent or reduce the development of asthma in later life.
The causes of asthma are not well-understood, and the rapid increase in asthma prevalence around the world is one of the biggest mysteries in modern medicine, he said.
The factors that can set off an asthma include inhaled allergens-such as house dust mites, pollens, cat and dog allergies-tobacco smoke, air pollution, exercise, strong emotional expression, chemical irritants, and certain drugs, he added.
