World Asthma Day

World Asthma Day is one of the big event observed all over the world by the people to increase the awareness among public worldwide about the precautions and preventions of the asthma. This event is annually organized on international level by the GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) in order to increase the asthma awareness all around the world. World Asthma Day is celebrated on annual basis at 1^st Tuesday of the May month. World Asthma Day celebration was first started celebrating in the year 1998 by the GINA in more than 35 countries after its first “World Asthma Meeting” in the Barcelona, Spain.

Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs which causes breathing problems. Symptoms of asthma include breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Asthma is caused by environmental and genetic factors. These factors influence how severe asthma is and how well it responds to medication. The interaction is complex and not fully understood.

GINA organizes various programmes every year with the help of organizers and associates like health care groups and asthma educators to encourage and motivate common public using the sub-theme called “It’s Time to Control Asthma”. GINA decides the every year’s theme of celebration as well as distributes the materials and resources to the organizers to organize programmes. Various health care professionals, members, students,  educators, and other health care organizations take part in the celebration by showing their activities related to the asthma at many public places in order to help people reducing their burden of asthma.

Controlling the current status of asthma all around the world is very necessary and it has become the responsibility of all the medical professionals and not only the patients. Asthma management requires collaborative efforts of the patients, asthma carers, health professionals, community health groups and other health care systems globally.

World Asthma Day Activities:

• AAP (Asthma Action Plan) aims highlighting the daily basis control over asthma and handling its symptoms or asthma attacks.
• Free checkup camps are organized to assess the severity of asthma among people to start best treatment.
• Patients are motivated for their scheduled follow-up visits at the periodic intervals of six months and controlling the environmental exposures to get prevented from allergens or irritants.
• Asthma Societies in many countries celebrates World Asthma Day on national level.
• New asthma clinics and pharmacy clinics are opened in the required areas.
• TV channels and news channels distributes messages like “fighting asthma with every breath” and other awareness messages to reach to the public.
• Quiz competitions, debate, symposium and etc on the subject of asthma are organized in the schools, colleges and pharmacies throughout the country.
• Classes are taken by the teachers on the subjects of asthma prevention and precaution methods.

The aim of World Asthma Day is to raise awareness, care and support for those affected by asthma. Whilst the primary focus is supporting the person with asthma, support may also extend to family, friends and caregivers.

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