World Asthma Day: Significance, history and everything you need to know about the day

World Asthma Day is an event annually organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). The program is held to improve asthma awareness and care across the globe. The day is celebrated on the first Tuesday of May and this year it will be celebrated on May 5, 2020. Let us have a look at World Asthma Day's objective, history and more.

All you need to know about World Asthma Day 

Amid the outbreak of COVID’19, GINA has decided to postpone their promotion of World Asthma Day 2020 until they issue a new notice. As stated by many respiratory health advocates, this time the sharing of information for asthma patients will be given done online. The first World Asthma Day was celebrated in Barcelona, Spain in the year 1998. It was celebrated in more than 35 countries in association with the organisation. Reportedly, the number of participants has been increasing with each year since then. The main aim of this day is to raise awareness about asthma and how it affects people.

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History of World Asthma Day

World Asthma Day was established in 1998 and over 35 countries were involved. The day is supported by the organisation GINA, which works with health care groups around the globe to help raise awareness. However, GINA is an initiative taken by the US-based National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLB). Also, WAD is supported by the World Asthma Foundation (WAF).  During this day, the asthma patients were made aware of the safety measurements they can take to help them cope with their condition.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes breathing difficulties. It is caused by swelling and inflammation of the bronchial tubes that sometimes leads to allergens, stress or changes in temperature. Some of the major symptoms of asthma include breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest. As per doctors, the symptoms can vary according to the frequency and severity of the disease. The disease is not usually curable but can be controlled to some extent. Also, proper and definite education and understanding are keys to controlling asthma effectively.

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Steps that can be followed to manage Asthma

• One can follow a personal asthma management plan prepared with the help of a doctor.
• Educate yourself by reading or listening about the risk factors of asthma that can cause the condition of the patient worse.
• Teach patients to recognise the symptoms and to take medication at a proper intervals of time.
• The patient should always carry a prescription regarding their asthma details.

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