World Asthma Day 2024: New Theme, Significance, History and Interesting Facts

World Asthma Day is a yearly event established by the Global Initiative for Asthma to increase awareness about asthma and to improve asthma care around the world. It is observed every year on the first Tuesday of May by people all over the world. World’s first Asthma Day was held on 5 May 1998. People and organizations across the globe observe this day with activities like seminars, volunteer work, etc. This article presents complete details related to World Asthma Day 2024 like its history, importance, the purpose of celebration, etc.

World Asthma Day 2024 Date

Check date of World Asthma Day to be observed in 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.

World Asthma Day 2024 Overview

Significance of World Asthma Day

Hundreds of millions of people in the world are suffering from asthma and according to a Global Asthma Report from 2018, the condition claimed more than 1000 lives daily. And these are only those cases that are reported as not at all diagnosed in most cases and thus lead to untimely death. Asthma is not something to be taken lightly and it needs a global platform to raise awareness. World Asthma Day provides an opportunity to make people more conscious about asthma and to draw the attention of asthma prevention advocates all over the world to raise their voices for better care of asthma patients.

Asthma, Its Cause & Prevention

Asthma is a disease of the lungs that causes recurrent episodes of breathlessness, chest tightness, wheezing and chest tightness. It is also accompanied by heavy and regular early morning and/ or nighttime coughing. The cause of the disease is not clear and there is no treatment available for it. However, there are ways by which the condition can be controlled.

Cause

The actual cause of asthma is not clear but in some cases, it is triggered by genetic factors combined with exposure to certain inhaled substances found in our environment. house dust, mites in bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture, pollution and pet dander, pollen and molds, tobacco smoke, chemical irritants in the workplace, etc are some of the risk factors that may cause asthma.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of asthma can be done with the help of clinical history and breathing tests. Spirometry is a pulmonary function test that can detect asthma in people. However, in most cases, people don’t even realize they have asthma and many cases go undetected.

Treatment

No cure is available for asthma but with proper treatment and management, the symptoms can be controlled. There are certain medicines available in the market and there are asthma control inhalers that can be used to control the condition. Other than this, physical activities and regular exercise can help reduce asthma symptoms.

Also Check Special Days in May

World Asthma Day History

World Asthma Day was started by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) in 1998 and more than 35 countries took part in the inaugural WAD. The day was adopted at the World Asthma Meeting held in Barcelona, Spain. GINA is a medical guidelines organization set up in 1993 that takes responsibility for organizing World Asthma Day every year. Since the first WAD, the participation of people and countries in the event has grown manifold.

Celebration of World Asthma Day

World Asthma Day is the primary event to raise awareness about asthma and take a collective, collaborative approach against it. On this day, people with asthma and organizations dedicated to asthma control come together to increase awareness about asthma so as to improve the lives of all people with asthma. Many local and national organizations in different places of the world also organize their own awareness program to observe WAD.

Check: World Tuberculosis Day

Lesser-known facts about Asthma

1. According to WHO, more than 235 million people are suffering from asthma globally.
2. It is also the most common chronic disease in children.
3. Asthma is one of the major non-communicable diseases.
4. Asthma cannot be cured but appropriate management can control the disorder.
5. About 1 in 13 people in the US have asthma.
6. Around 9.8% of female adults and 6.1% of male adults have asthma.
7. In children, however, boys are more likely to develop asthma than girls.
8. On average, 11 people in the US die from asthma each day.
9. Black children are more likely to have asthma as compared to white children.
10. The number of people with asthma increased by 15% in the last decade.

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