GSK Reinstates Support for Asthma Control in Children

GSK Reinstates Support for Asthma Control in Children

Martins Ifijeh

GSK Pharmaceuticals Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to improve asthma control among children, as the company unveiled Flixotide at the 2019 Annual Paediatric Association of Nigeria Conference (PANCONF) in Ibadan, Oyo State recently.

Flixotide, according to GSK, is a low dose inhaled corticosteroid for prevention of asthma exacerbation in children from one year of age.

Speaking at the unveiling, the Medical Director, GSK Nigeria, Dr. Laja Odunuga stated that GSK desires to attend to the health needs of children with asthma and ensure that they live a healthy life.

He said: “The concept is to make controller medication available for children who are less than four years, and the introduction of Flixotide is meant to fill a gap for the children that cannot benefit from other controller medications prescribed for the adult population.”

On the assessment of asthmatic conditions among children in Nigeria, Odunuga added that, “I think we are getting better. We are probably not where we want to be but things are getting better in the sense that medications are now readily available.

“We are also trying to tackle the issue of stigmatisation, capacity building for healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists to ensure that the right things are done at the right time.

“For the parents, we are advocating that they take up proper health-seeking behaviour. If we put all these parameters together, these are pointers that will reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with this disease.”
The 2019 edition of the annual PANCONF is the 50th in the series and the sixth International Scientific Conference with the theme “PAN at 50: Successes, Challenges and Prospects”.

Congratulating the association, Odunuga said that the Paediatric Association of Nigeria remains one of the biggest supporters of issues relating to children in Nigeria, adding that the body has become a voice that cannot be discountenanced.

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