Temitayo Olumofe
Asthma is more than just a chronic illness; it is a daily challenge that affects millions of people around the world, disrupting their ability to breathe freely, work, learn, and enjoy life. Imagine struggling to catch your breath, feeling tightness in your chest, or coughing uncontrollably—this is the reality for over 260 million people living with asthma today. On May 6, 2025, the global community came together to observe World Asthma Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about this widespread condition and emphasizing the urgent need to improve access to essential treatments. This year, the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) chose the theme Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL, highlighting the critical importance of ensuring that everyone with asthma, regardless of where they live or their economic status, can obtain the medications they need to control their disease and prevent life-threatening attacks.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, which leads to symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and persistent coughing. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and may flare up suddenly, causing asthma attacks that can be distressing and even fatal. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), asthma affects an estimated 262 million people globally and causes approximately 455,000 deaths each year, most of which are preventable with proper management.
Despite being a common and manageable disease, asthma poses significant health challenges at multiple levels:
Asthma can interfere with daily activities, school attendance, and work productivity. Severe attacks can lead to hospitalization or death. Many patients struggle with the cost and availability of inhaled medications, which are essential for controlling inflammation and preventing attacks.
Caring for someone with asthma can be stressful and costly. The disease also places a burden on healthcare systems due to frequent emergency visits and hospital admissions.
Asthma contributes to the rising costs of healthcare and lost productivity. Low- and middle-income countries bear the brunt of asthma mortality due to inadequate access to essential medicines and healthcare services.
Inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators are the cornerstone of effective asthma management. These medications reduce airway inflammation and relieve symptoms, preventing attacks and improving quality of life. However, many people around the world, especially in poorer regions, cannot access these life-saving inhalers due to high costs, supply shortages, or a lack of healthcare infrastructure.
The theme of World Asthma Day 2025, “Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL,” calls on governments, healthcare providers, and international organizations to prioritize equitable access to these essential medicines.
As GINA states, “Doctors and allied health care professionals are called upon to ensure that every person with asthma is prescribed evidence-based, essential, inhaled corticosteroid-containing medication in addition to (or in combination with) reliever medication, to prevent the continuing avoidable morbidity and mortality from asthma.”
Over the years, global health organizations have taken significant steps to address the burden of asthma. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), established in 1993 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the World Health Organization, has been instrumental in developing evidence-based strategies for asthma management and prevention. GINA publishes annual strategy reports to guide healthcare professionals worldwide and organizes World Asthma Day to raise awareness and promote better care.
The World Health Organization recognizes asthma inhalers as essential medicines and includes them in its Model List of Essential Medicines and package of interventions for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Despite this, access remains uneven, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) has launched campaigns urging global leaders to invest in solutions that ensure inhaled treatments are available to all who need them.
At the national level, countries like Nigeria reaffirm their commitment to reducing the burden of asthma and improving access to treatments. On World Asthma Day 2025, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reiterated its dedication to equitable healthcare access, emphasizing the importance of inhaled medications for all Nigerians living with asthma.
These efforts are complemented by the Global Asthma Network’s publication of the Global Asthma Report 2025: Patient Stories, which shares firsthand accounts from people living with asthma worldwide. These stories highlight the daily struggles of delayed diagnosis, unaffordable medications, and environmental triggers, as well as the transformative impact of timely and effective treatment.
While systemic changes are crucial, individuals living with asthma and their families also play a vital role in managing the disease and improving the quality of life. Here are key steps that can help:
Using prescribed inhaled corticosteroids regularly, even when symptoms are absent, helps control airway inflammation and prevent attacks. Reliever inhalers should be used as directed for symptom relief. Common asthma triggers include pollen, dust, smoke, strong odors, cold air, and respiratory infections. Identifying and minimizing exposure to these can reduce flare-ups.
Patients should learn about asthma, understand how to use inhalers correctly, and develop an asthma action plan with their healthcare provider. This plan guides managing symptoms and when to seek medical help.
Loved ones can help by encouraging adherence to treatment, recognizing signs of worsening asthma, and providing emotional support. Creating a healthy home environment with reduced allergens and irritants is also beneficial.
Routine check-ups allow healthcare providers to monitor asthma control, adjust treatment if needed, and provide education. World Asthma Day is a reminder of these practical steps and encourages patients to take control of their condition to live full, active lives.
World Asthma Day 2025, observed on May 6, spotlighted the urgent need to make inhaled treatments accessible to all people with asthma. With over 260 million affected globally and hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year, asthma remains a significant public health challenge. Through coordinated global efforts, national commitments, and individual actions, the burden of asthma can be reduced, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to breathe easier and live healthier lives. As GINA emphasizes, the goal is clear:
The significance of World Asthma Day lies not only in raising awareness but also in mobilizing resources, policy changes, and community engagement to close the treatment gap.
Governments and health systems must prioritize asthma within their public health agendas, ensuring that inhaled medicines are affordable, available, and integrated into primary healthcare services. This requires investment in supply chains, training of healthcare providers, and public education campaigns that demystify asthma and reduce stigma. When policymakers recognize asthma as a critical health issue, they can allocate funding for research, improve healthcare infrastructure, and implement national asthma programs that save lives.
At the same time, the role of individuals and families cannot be overstated. Empowering people with asthma through education, self-management tools, and emotional support creates a ripple effect that improves outcomes and reduces hospitalizations. Loved ones who understand asthma’s challenges can provide encouragement and practical help, fostering environments where patients feel safe and supported.
The global community must work together to address environmental and social determinants that exacerbate asthma. Pollution control, tobacco cessation programs, and efforts to reduce indoor allergens are vital complements to medical treatment. By tackling these broader issues, we create healthier spaces where asthma sufferers can thrive.
World Asthma Day 2025 reminded us that breathing freely is a basic human right. It challenges all governments, healthcare professionals, patients, families, and communities to unite in the fight against asthma. By ensuring universal access to inhaled treatments and comprehensive care, we can transform asthma from a life-threatening condition into a manageable part of life. Together, we can breathe hope into the lives of millions and build a future where no one suffers or dies from preventable asthma attacks.
Asthma is more than just a chronic illness; it is a daily challenge that affects millions of people around the world, disrupting their ability to breathe freely, work, learn, and enjoy life. Imagine struggling to catch your breath, feeling tightness in your chest, or coughing uncontrollably- this is the reality for over 260 million people living with asthma today. On May 6, 2025, the global community came together to observe World Asthma Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about this widespread condition and emphasizing the urgent need to improve access to essential treatments. This year, the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) chose the theme Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL, highlighting the critical importance of ensuring that everyone with asthma, regardless of where they live or their economic status, can obtain the medications they need to control their disease and prevent life-threatening attacks.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, which leads to symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and persistent coughing. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and may flare up suddenly, causing asthma attacks that can be distressing and even fatal. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), asthma affects an estimated 262 million people globally and causes approximately 455,000 deaths each year, most of which are preventable with proper management.
Despite being a common and manageable disease, asthma poses significant health challenges at multiple levels:
Asthma can interfere with daily activities, school attendance, and work productivity. Severe attacks can lead to hospitalization or death. Many patients struggle with the cost and availability of inhaled medications, which are essential for controlling inflammation and preventing attacks.
Caring for someone with asthma can be stressful and costly. The disease also places a burden on healthcare systems due to frequent emergency visits and hospital admissions.
Asthma contributes to the rising costs of healthcare and lost productivity. Low- and middle-income countries bear the brunt of asthma mortality due to inadequate access to essential medicines and healthcare services.
Inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators are the cornerstone of effective asthma management. These medications reduce airway inflammation and relieve symptoms, preventing attacks and improving quality of life. However, many people around the world, especially in poorer regions, cannot access these life-saving inhalers due to high costs, supply shortages, or a lack of healthcare infrastructure.
The theme of World Asthma Day 2025, “Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL,” calls on governments, healthcare providers, and international organizations to prioritize equitable access to these essential medicines.
As GINA states, “Doctors and allied health care professionals are called upon to ensure that every person with asthma is prescribed evidence-based, essential, inhaled corticosteroid-containing medication in addition to (or in combination with) reliever medication, to prevent the continuing avoidable morbidity and mortality from asthma.
Over the years, global health organizations have taken significant steps to address the burden of asthma. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), established in 1993 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the World Health Organization, has been instrumental in developing evidence-based strategies for asthma management and prevention. GINA publishes annual strategy reports to guide healthcare professionals worldwide and organizes World Asthma Day to raise awareness and promote better care.
The World Health Organization recognizes asthma inhalers as essential medicines and includes them in its Model List of Essential Medicines and package of interventions for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Despite this, access remains uneven, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) has launched campaigns urging global leaders to invest in solutions that ensure inhaled treatments are available to all who need them.
At the national level, countries like Nigeria reaffirm their commitment to reducing the burden of asthma and improving access to treatments. On World Asthma Day 2025, the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reiterated its dedication to equitable healthcare access, emphasizing the importance of inhaled medications for all Nigerians living with asthma.
These efforts are complemented by the Global Asthma Network’s publication of the Global Asthma Report 2025: Patient Stories, which shares firsthand accounts from people living with asthma worldwide. These stories highlight the daily struggles of delayed diagnosis, unaffordable medications, and environmental triggers, as well as the transformative impact of timely and effective treatment.
While systemic changes are crucial, individuals living with asthma and their families also play a vital role in managing the disease and improving the quality of life. Here are key steps that can help:
Using prescribed inhaled corticosteroids regularly, even when symptoms are absent, helps control airway inflammation and prevent attacks. Reliever inhalers should be used as directed for symptom relief. Common asthma triggers include pollen, dust, smoke, strong odors, cold air, and respiratory infections. Identifying and minimizing exposure to these can reduce flare-ups.
Patients should learn about asthma, understand how to use inhalers correctly, and develop an asthma action plan with their healthcare provider. This plan guides managing symptoms and when to seek medical help.
Loved ones can help by encouraging adherence to treatment, recognizing signs of worsening asthma, and providing emotional support. Creating a healthy home environment with reduced allergens and irritants is also beneficial.
Routine check-ups allow healthcare providers to monitor asthma control, adjust treatment if needed, and provide education.
World Asthma Day is a reminder of these practical steps and encourages patients to take control of their condition to live full, active lives.
World Asthma Day 2025, observed on May 6, spotlighted the urgent need to make inhaled treatments accessible to all people with asthma. With over 260 million affected globally and hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year, asthma remains a significant public health challenge. Through coordinated global efforts, national commitments, and individual actions, the burden of asthma can be reduced, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to breathe easier and live healthier lives. As GINA emphasizes, the goal is clear:
The significance of World Asthma Day lies not only in raising awareness but also in mobilizing resources, policy changes, and community engagement to close the treatment gap.
Governments and health systems must prioritize asthma within their public health agendas, ensuring that inhaled medicines are affordable, available, and integrated into primary healthcare services. This requires investment in supply chains, training of healthcare providers, and public education campaigns that demystify asthma and reduce stigma. When policymakers recognize asthma as a critical health issue, they can allocate funding for research, improve healthcare infrastructure, and implement national asthma programs that save lives.
At the same time, the role of individuals and families cannot be overstated. Empowering people with asthma through education, self-management tools, and emotional support creates a ripple effect that improves outcomes and reduces hospitalizations. Loved ones who understand asthma’s challenges can provide encouragement and practical help, fostering environments where patients feel safe and supported.
The global community must work together to address environmental and social determinants that exacerbate asthma. Pollution control, tobacco cessation programs, and efforts to reduce indoor allergens are vital complements to medical treatment. By tackling these broader issues, we create healthier spaces where asthma sufferers can thrive.
World Asthma Day 2025 reminded us that breathing freely is a basic human right. It challenges all governments, healthcare professionals, patients, families, and communities to unite in the fight against asthma. By ensuring universal access to inhaled treatments and comprehensive care, we can transform asthma from a life-threatening condition into a manageable part of life. Together, we can breathe hope into the lives of millions and build a future where no one suffers or dies from preventable asthma attacks.
