LASUTH advocates increased awareness on asthma

The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital has called for increased public awareness of asthma symptoms and improved access to treatment, particularly inhaled medications, to better manage the condition and reduce its burden on individuals and families.

The call was made by the Deputy Director of Clinical Services at LASUTH, Dr. Oluwafemi Ojo, during a World Asthma Day event organised by the hospital’s Respiratory Unit in collaboration with Ikeja Local Government Area on Tuesday in Lagos.

World Asthma Day is observed globally on the first Tuesday in May to raise awareness about asthma and promote effective management of the chronic respiratory disease.

This year’s theme, “Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL,” underscores the urgent need for equitable access to essential asthma medications.

Ojo, a consultant pulmonologist, and noted that asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide and accounts for over 450,000 deaths annually.

In Nigeria alone, over 20 million people live with the condition.

He said asthma significantly impacts the physical, socio-economic, and emotional well-being of patients and their families.

A major challenge, he added, is the high cost and limited availability of inhalers, worsened by the exit of key pharmaceutical companies from the Nigerian market.

“To address this, the Federal Government must create a conducive environment for local pharmaceutical companies to produce inhalers. This would reduce reliance on foreign exchange and lower production costs,” Ojo said.

He also urged that inhalers be listed as essential medicines and included in the national health insurance scheme, especially for low-income earners, to improve accessibility.

Ojo advised medical practitioners to shift away from the reliance on short-acting beta-2 agonists like salbutamol as primary treatment for asthma, noting that these drugs only offer temporary relief without addressing the underlying cause—inflammation.

“Globally, the trend is toward the use of inhaled corticosteroids, which target airway inflammation. Reducing inflammation significantly lowers the risk of asthma exacerbations,” he explained.

He further called for inter-sectoral collaboration in research to enhance asthma management strategies and encouraged patients to avoid known triggers, adhere to treatment plans, and maintain close communication with healthcare providers.

“Our aim today is to advocate for better asthma care and accessibility. We’ve already conducted over 100 free lung function tests and distributed inhalers to some patients to initiate treatment and connect them to continued care at LASUTH,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, LASUTH’s Director of Pharmacy, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ojo, emphasised the importance of combining reliever medications with inhaled corticosteroids to prevent avoidable asthma-related deaths.

She highlighted the vital role pharmacists play in patient education, medication adherence, inhaler technique training, and addressing side effects—factors critical to effective asthma control.

The event featured an advocacy walk, free lung function screening, educational sessions on asthma and inhaler use, and engagement with community members.

According to the World Health Organisation, asthma is a leading non-communicable disease that affects both adults and children and remains the most common chronic illness in children. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness—resulting from inflammation and narrowing of the lung’s small airways.

WHO stresses that with proper inhaled medication, asthma can be effectively managed, allowing patients to lead active, healthy lives.