[Cape Town , March 6]- The World Health Organization (WHO) General Special Envoy on Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD), José Luis Castro, says millions of people die from chronic respiratory diseases each year, yet the crisis continues to receive limited media and policy attention.
He said globally more than half a billion people are living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
According to the WHO, asthma affects more than 260 million people worldwide, while COPD causes more than 3.5 million deaths annually.
Mr Castro, who is also Director of the Pace University Center for Global Health, said despite COPD being the third leading cause of death globally, awareness, diagnosis and treatment remain limited, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Speaking at a media workshop on chronic Respiratory Diseases in Cape Town, he said asthma and COPD are major non-communicable diseases that not only reduce quality of life but also place a heavy financial burden on already strained health systems.
Data from the WHO shows that in 2021 Ghana recorded 84,700 asthma cases, which declined slightly to 80,841 in 2022.
Asthma currently accounts for up to 10 per cent of all hospital admissions among children in Ghana, however, cases among children aged five to 19 increased from 23,926 in 2021 to 25,413 in 2022, representing 31.4 per cent of the total cases.
“Chronic respiratory diseases are not something we can continue to ignore or postpone addressing. The burden on families, health systems and national economies is enormous,” Mr Castro said.
The three-day workshop, titled “Unpacking the Chronic Respiratory Disease Epidemic,” brought together journalists from Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa.
Organised in partnership between the World Health Organization and the Pace University Center for Global Health, the training aimed to strengthen reporting on chronic respiratory diseases by providing journalists with scientific knowledge, access to experts and reliable data on the growing health crisis.
The World Health Organization (WHO) General Special Envoy on Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD) further called on governments to reduce the burden of COPD by introducing stronger taxation on tobacco products and enforcing regulations on industries responsible for air pollution.
“By taxing tobacco and polluting industries, governments can raise revenue to finance healthcare systems and address the diseases caused by those products,” he said.
Commenting on the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke, Mr Castro noted that even people who do not smoke remain at risk.
“Second-hand smoke can be even more dangerous, especially for children whose lungs are still developing,” he said.
He urged journalists to strengthen investigative and evidence-based reporting on chronic respiratory diseases, noting that journalism plays a critical role in shaping public understanding and influencing policy decisions.
“Journalists are the bridge between science, policy and the public. When air pollution becomes normalised or when access to medicines is limited, journalism disrupts that comfort and asks why,” he added.
Dr Sarah Rylance, Medical Officer at the Non-Communicable Diseases Management Unit of the World Health Organization, said more than 90 per cent of premature deaths from chronic respiratory diseases occur in low- and middle-income countries.
“About 1,000 people die from asthma every day globally, even though it is a disease that can be effectively managed with proper treatment,” she said.
Dr Rylance said tobacco smoking, air pollution and occupational exposure to harmful substances were the leading drivers of chronic respiratory diseases worldwide.
“In sub-Saharan Africa, household air pollution caused by cooking with solid fuels remains a major risk factor, particularly affecting women and children,” she said.
Professor Bob Mash of Stellenbosch University said many primary healthcare facilities in low-income countries still lack essential diagnostic tools such as spirometry and peak-flow meters, while life-saving inhaled medicines remain unavailable or unaffordable for many patients.
He lauded WHO for promoting an integrated approach to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic respiratory diseases through primary healthcare systems as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
Prof Mash stressed that improving public awareness, strengthening health systems and expanding access to essential medicines would be critical to reducing the global burden of asthma and COPD and meeting the target of cutting premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by 25 per cent by 2030.
The WHO defines asthma as a chronic lung disease affecting people of all ages, caused by inflammation and tightening of muscles around the airways, which makes breathing difficult.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) according to WHO is a common lung disease that causes restricted airflow and breathing problems and is sometimes referred to as emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
