Closing Gaps in Asthma Care: World Asthma Day 2022

World Asthma Day (WAD) is held annually, in the month of May to raise awareness of asthma. The WAD campaign is organized each year by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), a World Health Organization collaborative entity founded in 1993. World Asthma Day was first held in 1998 and has grown each year since. Asthma awareness-raising activities take place in countries all over the world on this day.

“Closing Gaps in Asthma Care” is the theme chosen for 2022, and GINA calls on the international respiratory communities to work together with colleagues, patients, and health care providers to close gaps in asthma care. Bridging these gaps can reduce the global burden of “preventable suffering”

Common asthma triggers include the usual allergens such as pollen, animal fur, house dust and smoke.Asthma can also be triggered by exercise and exposure to cold air. Infections like common cold and influenzas too can exacerbate an asthma episode. Identifying and avoiding asthma triggers can help keep your symptoms under control

Asthma is a chronic, yet reversible condition that affects the airways. Exacerbations or asthmatic episodes occur when the airways become inflamed and temporarily narrowed, causing symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath. Asthmatic exacerbations are usually triggered, although the attacks could also be random in nature. Common asthma triggers include the usual allergens such as pollen, animal fur, house dust and smoke. Asthma can also be triggered by exercise and exposure to cold air. Infections like common cold and influenzas too can exacerbate an asthma episode. Identifying and avoiding asthma triggers can help keep your symptoms under control.

There is no permanent cure for asthma. However, it can be controlled with medication. Tablets and inhalers are usually prescribed to patients, to use daily and to use during asthma episodes. Regular check-ups and re-evaluating the drug plan periodically can help asthma patients achieve better control of their condition.

Asthma is a chronic condition that fortunately can be controlled. Over the years, the guidelines for asthma care have been formulated and perfected, however, without effective implementation, years of research and scientific study become futile. Gaps were identified by GINA, and addressing the said gaps will elevate the efficacy of asthma care.

The gaps in global asthma care identified by GINA include disparities in terms of diagnosis and treatment for different socio-economic, ethnic and age groups and inequalities between wealthy and poorer communities and countries, gaps in communication and care across the primary/secondary/tertiary care institutions, gaps in communication and education provided for people with asthma, (quality of asthma care plans), gaps in asthma knowledge and asthma awareness between health care providers, Gaps in prioritization between asthma and other long-term conditions, gaps in between prescribing inhalers and monitoring adherence and ability to use them, gaps between the general public’s (non-asthmatics) and health care professionals’ understanding that asthma is a chronic (not acute) long-term disease, gaps between scientific evidence and the actual delivery of care for people with asthma.

Implementing recommendations is challenging across the globe, as not all local solutions are applicable globally, and global recommendations may not be applied locally.

As the world collectively suffered the Covid-19 pandemic, it is more evident now than ever before that the world indeed is a village. Collaborative efforts can find solutions not only to problems at hand but will also pave the way to containing future threats with farsighted professionals. Thus, the international respiratory communities are called upon to work together, to bridge these gaps.