Over 15 million Nigerians suffer from Asthma, a debilitating illness that can be triggered by air pollution, Etete Peters, president of Nigerian Thoracic Society, says.
Peters, who is the chief medical director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, stated this during activities marking the 2017 World Asthma Day.
Calling on government to legislate against air pollution in order to minimise the scourge of the disease, he said air pollution was an important trigger for asthma, adding the most common source of air pollution include biomass fumes, cigarette smoke and car exhaust.
Peters explained that studies had shown that the environment had a huge impact on asthma exacerbation, whether from cigarette smoke or pollution within the atmosphere.
”We should wage war against cigarette smoking, provide services to help current smokers quit and prevent initiation of cigarette smoking in our population.
”Owner of vehicles should use them responsibly and choose to walk shot distances rather than drive in order to make our air cleaner for improved health and better asthma control.
”Asthma is much more common than we think and we need to see health providers if we have any symptoms of suggestive of asthma. And the good news is that asthma could be well managed and person with a diagnosis can live a normal life.
‘’Its symptoms include recurrent cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, which is worse with exercise or during the night and can be relaxed with bronchodilator. These symptoms however escalate during attack with acute illness, breathlessness, anxiousness, restlessness and sweaty child who turns bluish because there is no enough oxygen in the blood.
”The key to good health is to take medications as prescribed avoid all known trigger and promptly seek medical treatment if symptoms persist despite taking prescribed medications.”
He disclosed that the Nigeria Thoracic Society, as an umbrella body of all professionals involved in respiratory care, had over the years committed themselves to regular and continuous update of its members and health workers in general on the management of airways diseases including asthma.
The society he said has also been involved in community mobilization and public education on various chest diseases emphasizing the need for optimal asthma control.
‘’But we have realized one major gap in asthma care in Nigeria, which is the lack of National guideline on the disease management.
His words: ”this year we are launching the National Asthma Guideline as part of the event to mark the World Asthma Day to ensure that practitioners adopt the minimum level of standard required in the management of the disease to see how such care could be compared to international best practices which will ultimately reduce asthma related cases in our society.’’
‘’We therefore solicit the support of government at all levels and other relevant stakeholders in the health sector to support this noble cause of providing and building capacities among health care givers to implement the recommendations of the guideline.’’
