World Asthma Day – Importance, Facts, and Activities

Asthma is one of the most chronic health conditions affecting children around the world. The disease is present in every country around the globe irrespective of the development or the economic conditions. However about 80 percent of fatalities from the condition occur in poorer countries with lower levels of income. World Asthma Day exists to raise awareness about the condition and improve the lives of those affected by it.

Why is World Asthma Day Celebrated?

According to the WHO, 250 million people suffer from Asthma around the world and the World Asthma Day has the primary purpose of increasing the public awareness about the condition and the precautions and prevention of the condition. The first World Asthma Day was celebrated in the year 1988 by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) in a meeting in Barcelona, Spain. Subsequently the first Tuesday of every May has been the World Asthma Day. Here are the objectives of the event:

• Raising awareness about Asthma and the health consequences of the condition.
• Promoting knowledge about the different aspects of the condition and determining the cause for the increasing number of cases ever year.
• Promoting studies related to asthma and the environment.
• Reducing the risk of Asthma through education.
• Improving the management of Asthma.
• Improving the quality and accessibility of good treatment for Asthma.
• Lowering fatality rates from Asthma.
• Decrease the number of emergency visits and days spent in the hospital by patients.

Key Facts & Statistics About International Asthma Day

Here are some important facts you need to know about this day:

• Asthma is the chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes which restricts airflow to the lungs. It causes suffocation, chest tightness, coughing, breathlessness, wheezing in sleep and coughing in the morning and at night.
• Over 250 million people are affected by asthma around the world.
• There is no cure for asthma, however it can be managed by staying away from known triggers such as irritants, pollutants and allergens.
• Asthma is more common in children than adults and females are more susceptible to it than males
• Asthma also has a genetic component to it
• The condition can be aggravated even by weather conditions and different people have different triggers such as humid or dry weather
• People with asthma must continue their medications to keep their lungs functioning normally

Activities Performed On World Asthma Day

Here are some of the important activities that take place on World Asthma Day:

• Asthma Action Plan (AAP) highlights on handling asthma symptoms and attacks.
• Free check up camps to assess the condition’s severity and best course of treatment.
• Opening of new asthma clinics in areas where they are needed most.
• Spreading awareness about the disease through mass media such as TV, radio and social media.
• Classes on the prevention and precaution methods for the public.
• Flyers, posters, and banners distributed everywhere to raise awareness, especially in the needed areas.

What Steps Can You Take to Prevent Asthma?

Tips on taking preventive steps for asthma:

• Work with your doctor to prepare a personal management plan to control your asthma. The management plan is tailored specifically to your condition and involves the medications you need to take, doses, times of the day, and seasonal variations. It also involves plans on how to avoid risk factors.
• Timely medication as prescribed by your doctor is important to control the condition and relive symptoms throughout the day.
• Explore and educate yourself about the risk factors and what conditions make it worse.
• Learn how to recognise the warning signs given by the body whenever you are in a high risk environment for a trigger.
• Stay prepared wherever you go for an asthma attack with your medications. Have a card on you at all times that could instruct someone near you on how to help you when you’re having a severe attack.

FAQs

1. When is World Asthma Day 2019?

The world asthma day date is Tuesday, 7^th May 2019.

2. What is the Theme for World Asthma Day?

The theme for the 2019 asthma awareness day is “STOP for Asthma”. STOP is the acronym for Symptom Evaluation, Test Response, Observe and Assess, and Proceed to Adjust Treatment.

Asthma can be managed with education and proper precautions taken. The World Asthma Day is all about educating you on how to do that.

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