* 100 million others likely by 2025
Okon Bassey in Uyo
President of Nigerian Thoracic Society, Prof Etete Peters, has raised the alarm that no fewer than 15 million Nigerians are suffering from asthma while an estimated 100 million could suffer from the ailment by 2025,
Peters ,who raised the alarm on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, at the 2016 asthma day in the state, attributed the increase of the ailment in the country to urbanisation and uptake of Western lifestyles.
Peters, who is also the Chief Medical Director of the University Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), said asthma has been one of the most chronic lung diseases affecting over 400 million people worldwide and remained the most common chronic diseases in children.
He disclosed that the Society has formulated a National Asthma Guideline that would help avoid unnecessary and preventable deaths.
According to him, the Society has begun collaboration with governments at all levels to conduct epidemiological studies to determine the actual burden and treatment of asthma through evidence based approach but regretted that less progress has been made despite recent efforts.
“Despite availability of different asthma drugs, a significant number of asthma patients are still limited with their asthma, while a sizeable number still dies from the disease,” he said.
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