PESHAWAR: Health experts on Tuesday stressed the need for better public awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for its prevention and control.

Pakistan Chest Society central president Professor Arshad Javed told reporters at the Peshawar Press Club that the tendency of tobacco smoking was rapidly increasing and thus, causing serious health problems among people.

He said the pollution caused by smoke produced by vehicles and industries was contributing to high incidence of chest infections and diseases in the country.

Prof Arshad said smoking and environmental pollution was the root cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, so it should be addressed.

He said according to rough estimates, around 200 million people suffered from COPD, while nearly three million people, mostly from developing countries, died of it across the world annually.

Accompanied by PCS provincial general secretary Dr Shahid Afridi, executive member Dr Ziaullah and provincial information secretary, Dr Taj Mohammad, Prof Arshad said COPD was sixth most deadly disease and that mostly people in their 40s suffered from it.

“The rate of deaths caused by the COPD has increased 60 percent across the world during the last several years,” he said.

The health expert said it was feared that after isthmian problem, heart ailment, depression, traffic accidents and other health issues, the COPD would be the fifth major cause of death by 2020.

He said breathlessness, breathing difficulty, excessive mucus, chronic cough and fatigue were the major symptoms of the COPD. Dr Arshad said the disease was preventable if it was diagnosed and treated early.

He said indoor pollution, outdoor pollution, occupational dust, and chemicals and frequent lower respiratory tract infection in childhood were also to blame for the growing COPD incidence.

“The COPD is not restricted to men. Across the world, women too suffer from it due to the growing smoking tendency among them,” he said.

The expert urged physicians and people to join hands for increasing awareness of ways and means to prevent the disease.

He said the health department, international organisations and environmental protection agencies were taking measures to fight lung diseases.

Dr Arshad also urged media to help spread awareness about the COPD.

Published in Dawn November 16th, 2016