World Asthma Day 2022: History, significance, theme this year

The World Asthma Day is celebrated on May 3 to raise awareness about asthma all over the world. The day is known to help all those who are fighting against asthma.

Let us tell you that Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease which affects the airways of the lungs. It can lead to symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. It is generally caused due to various reasons, which include environmental and genetic factors.

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Asthma triggers can often lead to coughing, shortness of breath and breathing problems. Those affected with this disease are advised to use inhalers. While the disease can’t be cured permanently, it can be controlled to an extent.

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 15 to 20 million people in the country are suffering from asthma. These include patients from every age group.

History of World Asthma Day 2022

The day was first started by the Global Initiative for Asthma, which is a medical guideline organisation founded in 1993. This organisation works with various health care professionals to reduce the prevalence of Asthma.

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The first World Asthma Day that was held on the sidelines of the World Asthma Meeting in Spain included participation from 35 countries. Since that day, it is being celebrated on the first Tuesday of May and hence happens to fall on May 3 this year.

Theme of World Asthma Day 2022

The World Asthma Day is organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), which is a WHO collaborative organisation.

This year, the theme for the World Asthma Day is ‘Closing Gaps in Asthma Care’.

Significance of World Asthma Day 2022

The World Asthma Day is aimed at filling in the gaps in asthma care. The day has been set aside to increase awareness about the medical issues that asthma patients face and to encourage equal access to diagnosis and treatment (medicine).

The day is also known to create awareness about the need to improve asthma-related communication and educate people more about this medical condition.

Based on GINA, the day is marked to ensure that international respiratory communities work together with patients and medical health professionals to provide solutions to all asthmatic patients around the globe.