World Asthma Day 2020: History, Significance and Theme of this year

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children worldwide and around 235 million people are living with the disease, according to the WHO. Most asthma-related deaths (over 80%) occur in low-and lower-middle-income countries, the UN’s health agency said. Observed every year on the first Tuesday of May, World Asthma Day is an initiative to improve asthma awareness and care around the world.

The annual event is organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) in collaboration with health care groups and asthma educators throughout the world. It aims to provide a common platform to researchers, pharmacists, pulmonologists and others to collectively participate and take required actions to address the rising prevalence of asthma in the world.

Know About the Disease

Asthma is an inflammatory disease that affects the lungs. It is caused by the swelling and narrowing of the tubes that carry air to and from the lungs. People with asthma experience repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. The severity and frequency of the symptoms vary from person to person. For some, the symptoms may become worse during physical activity and at night. Symptoms sometimes get significantly worse leading to asthma attack.

Usually, it starts in childhood, but it can also develop in adults, and affects people of all ages. There is currently no cure, but treatment can help control the symptoms. With the right treatment and management, a patient can live full and rewarding life.

History of World Asthma Day

World asthma Day was observed for the first time in 1998. It was celebrated in more than 35 countries in conjunction with the first World Asthma Meeting held in Barcelona, Spain.

Since then, GINA – a medical guidelines organisation established in 1993 – has been organising it as an annual event on the first Tuesday of May every year. The organisation chooses a theme every year and coordinates preparation and distribution of World Asthma Day materials and resources.

Significance of the day

A Global Asthma Report 2018 revealed that approximately 1000 people globally die every day owing to asthma. It is also estimated that asthma affects around 339 million individuals every year. Unfortunately, the disease remains undiagnosed and untreated in most of the kids, leading to their death. And sadly, the prevalence of asthma is increasing day by day. World Asthma Day is a global effort to improve asthma awareness and care around the world to prevent death due to the disease.

The theme of The World Asthma Day 2020

Every year, World Asthma Day is observed with a theme to focus on a particular factor and work towards it for the entire year. In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, GINA has decided to postpone the promotion of World Asthma Day this year. But the organization has kept the logo and theme posted on its site so that asthma advocates can use it for virtual World Asthma Day events. The logo planned for this year celebration carries a theme “Enough Asthma Deaths”.

Meanwhile, GINA advises asthma patients to follow good hand-washing hygiene, social distancing and to continue using medications as prescribed by their doctor.

World Asthma Day 2020: History, Significance and Theme of this year

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World Asthma Day 2020: History, Significance and Theme of this year

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