May 07, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1, 1429

PESHAWAR, May 6: Asthma has caused 250,000 deaths across the globe and poses a big challenge to the world community. In Pakistan, five per cent people are suffering from the disease.

This was stated at a news conference held in connection with the World Asthma Day at the press club here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Chest Society president Prof Dr Arshad Javaid said that at present 300 million people in the world suffered from asthma and the number of patients would rise to 450 million by 2025 if the disease continued to spread at the current ratio.

He said that during the past decade, 76 per cent increase in asthma cases had been witnessed in Pakistan and five of 100 people were suffering from the disease in the country. “Due to lack of awareness, 90 per cent patients in Pakistan are unable to lead a normal life,” he maintained.

Chest society general secretary Dr Mukhtiar Zaman Afridi said asthma was a universal issue, which had seen an embarrassing increase even in countries like America, Britain and Australia, which had best health infrastructure in the world.

Flanked by Dr Ziaullah and Dr Taj Mohammad Khan, he said asthma caused difficulty in respiration due to trachea swelling, adding that dust, smoke, paints, spray, tobacco, perfumes and other factors caused trachea swelling.

Answering a question, Dr Arshad Javid said the number of estimated deaths in the country caused by asthma was difficult to know because there was lack of awareness and access to doctors was a scarce phenomenon here.