World Lungs Day: Smoking major cause of lungs diseases

LAHORE: Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in Pakistani men and it is preventable if smoking is avoided.

In Pakistan 10 per cent population is suffering from asthma and about 5pc above the age of 40 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This was stated in a handout issued by the Pakistan Chest Society which is striving for pulmonary care of the people.

Respiratory diseases impose an immense worldwide health burden. The facts are shocking: 384 million people suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 3 million die from it each year, making it the third leading cause of death worldwide.

Around 10 million people catch tuberculosis and 1.6 million die from it each year, making it the most common lethal infectious disease; 1.76 million people die of lungs cancer each year, making it the deadliest cancer while 334 million people suffer from asthma, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood. It affects 14 percent of children globally and it is on the rise.

Pneumonia kills millions of people each year making it a leading cause of death in very young and very old person. Ninety percent of the world’s population lives in places where poor air quality exceeds the WHO guidelines. Air quality of many Pakistani cities has become worse over time.

National Alliance for Tobacco Control and Pakistan Chest Society joined global organisations in call for healthy lungs for all on the occasion of World Lungs Day (WLD), December 25. Smoking is by far the most important risk factor responsible for chronic lung diseases, said Professor Javaid Khan of Aga Khan University (AKU) and chair of National Alliance for Tobacco Control. Rising atmospheric pollution in Pakistan in recent years could result in exponential increase in the number of cases with COPD in the country, warned Prof Khan.

Prof Ali Zubairi, president of PCS, Sindh chapter, said use of biomass fuel like wood and coal for cooking was another important cause for COPD especially in women living in the rural areas. Prof Zubairi urged the government to take measures for the implementation of clean air laws in the country as COPD could also occur due to exposure to secondhand smoke.

Quoting AKU research work, Prof Zubairi said tobacco smoke pollution in Pakistani restaurants was one of the worst in the world. He demanded strict implementation of smoking ban at public places in the country.

National Alliance for Tobacco Control and Pakistan Chest Society passed a resolution, demanding creating awareness among the public and policymakers that respiratory health is a major component of global health. It was demanded reduce the use of all tobacco products through universal enforcement of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; adopt and require World Health Organisation air quality standards to reduce ambient, indoor, and occupational air pollution for all countries; promote universal access to quality health care, essential medicines, and immunisation; improve early diagnosis of respiratory diseases through increasing public awareness of lung health and disease; increase training of health professionals in the country in respiratory disease; standardise the monitoring and management of respiratory diseases with evidence-based national and international strategies; increase research to prevent and treat respiratory diseases.

“We hope World Lungs Day will provide an opportunity for action, conversation, and awareness. A unified voice of all dedicated to respiratory health will be a powerful force,” said Professor Javaid Khan.

Meanwhile, a handout was also issued by the Institute of TB and Chest Medicine of Mayo Hospital. It said this year’s World Lung Day theme is ‘healthy lungs for all,’ calling for universal health coverage (UHC) where all people receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship.

Universal coverage is particularly important to persons with respiratory disease. For example, a break in the supply of medicine for patient with tuberculosis could cause the development of drug resistance, which carries serious consequences. Abrupt unavailability of asthma medicine could cause severe suffering and even death. Lack of health care provider availability usually means delay in diagnosis, which could be fatal to lung cancer patients.

The global spotlight on UHC represents an opportunity for substantial progress in fight against lung disease around the world. “On World Lungs Day, we are asking the lung health community to raise awareness of the burden of respiratory disease, while advocating for UHC,” said the handout. It said, “World Lungs Day is a day for lung health advocacy and action, an opportunity for us all to unite and promote better lung health globally.”