Dr Olufunke Adeyeye, a consultant on respiratory disorder, says people living with asthma can live improved quality lives and be free of the symptoms if they adhere regularly to their medication.
Adeyeye, who works at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja said this at a forum organised for asthma patients by the Lagos hospital.
The forum was to commemorate the 2018 World Asthma.
The consultant regretted that not much attention was being given to asthma in the country.
According to her, an estimated 15 to 20 million Nigerians may actually be suffering from asthma; about 10.7 to 13 per cent of children between the ages of 13 and 14 years have the condition.
She however said that many of them were largely undiagnosed and untreated.
“These figures can be attributed to the fact that there is inadequate awareness about asthma among Nigerians. People are not treated because they do not know what the problem is.
The burden is there and we need to be looking at how many people are suffering from it in a holistic manner,” she added.
The burden is there and we need to be looking at how many people are suffering from it in a holistic manner,” she added.
She said that asthma was not a death sentence; “it is a chronic condition that can be controlled. People living with the condition can be productive and do the things that improve their lives.”
Adeyeye said the way forward to managing asthma was to educate people about the risk factors and medications to take in order for people to make informed decisions.
“Accepting the diagnosis is one challenge facing asthma care and management in our environment, as people do not want to be diagnosed with a chronic disease. We need to enlighten people and show example of celebrities who have the condition and are living well. We want celebrities in our environment to identify with asthma patients so that such patients can be encouraged to seek appropriate treatment of the condition. It is important for people to be aware that asthma can start at anytime, particularly when one is exposed to a particular trigger including exercise, fumes, pollution and dust, among others.’’
Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the lung airways that causes cough, chest tightness, wheezing or shortness of breath.
Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the lung airways that causes cough, chest tightness, wheezing or shortness of breath.
The World Asthma Day is celebrated in the month of May every year; that is why May is known as the Asthma Month, when National Asthma Education and Prevention Programme is organised to encourage people to take care of their asthma.
The theme of this year’s world asthma day is “Never too early, never too late. It’s always the right time to address airways disease’’.
Bilkisu Pai
