(May 3rd, 2016, New York, USA) – Global public health experts Vital Strategies today joined calls for governments to do more to help prevent asthma and to help asthmatics better manage their condition.
José Luis Castro, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vital Strategies commented:
“Governments must play their part in helping asthma sufferers to manage their condition. It’s not enough to tell people to take their medicine, if there is no definitive action to combat the environmental factors – like exposure to secondhand smoke, cookstove pollution, and industrial and car air pollution – that are exacerbating the sufferer’s condition. Indeed, governments are now obligated to make progress on pollution-related illness and premature death under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“Equally, governments need to do more to understand the extent of the problem and the specific risk factors in their own countries. In recent years, experts have acknowledged that poor and incomplete health data systems mean we simply don’t know how many people suffer and die from asthma. Low and middle income countries, in particular, are seeing increases in tobacco use, exposure to secondhand smoke, industrial activity and car use that can act as triggers. So the global number of asthma sufferers may well be more than the 300 million currently estimated – a substantial number of them children whose life opportunities and expectancy can be limited by asthma.
“This must change. We urge governments to implement better diagnosis, treatment and reporting systems for asthma, and establish better cause of death data records. This would help to show the actual extent of the problem, ensure there are sufficient and affordable medicines to help sufferers, identify common specific triggers in each country and inform the design and implementation of policies to reduce those triggers. By tackling the preventable environmental triggers for asthma attacks, we can help reduce the burden on sufferers and ultimately enable them to manage their condition more effectively. Through our work with governments around the world in tobacco control, air pollution, road safety and data for health, Vital Strategies stands ready to provide assistance and play its part.”
About Vital Strategies
Vital Strategies envisions a world where every person is protected by a strong public health system. Our team combines evidence-based strategies with innovation to help develop sound public health policies, manage programs efficiently, strengthen data systems, conduct research, and design strategic communication campaigns for policy and behavior change. Vital Strategies was formed when The Union North America and World Lung Foundation joined forces. It is an affiliate of The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union).
To find out more, please visit vitalstrategies.org or Twitter @VitalStrat
For further information or to arrange an interview with a Vital Strategies public health expert, please contact Tracey Johnston, Vital Strategies, at +44.7889.081.170 or tjohnston@vitalstrategies.org