World Asthma Day is observed annually on the first Tuesday of May and this year it was celebrated on May 5, 2020. The day is organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care around the world.
Theme for the year 2020: Enough Asthma Deaths.
Key Points:
i.History of the day: The first World Asthma Day (WAD) was held in 1998 in more than 35 countries. The first World Asthma meeting was held in Barcelona, Spain.
ii.From this year onwards GINA announced that WAD will be observed on May 5 every year. In view of COVID-19 crisis, a global campaign planned to be launched on this day has been postponed.
iii.About Asthma: Asthma, a chronic disease of the lungs causing breathing problems affecting about 1.5 to 2 crore people around the world. As per the WHO (World Health Organization) about 80%of asthma deaths occur in low and lower-middle-income countries. At least 1 in every 10 asthma patients live in India.
iv.Symptoms of Asthma: Some symptoms of asthma include breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest and these can vary in frequency and severity.
v.Asthma cannot be cured, it is possible for people to live life normally with certain precautions and by adhering to medication & treatment.
About GINA:
GINA was launched in 1993 in collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, USA, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
