The importance of creating awareness of asthma and ways to control it, especially in the wake of increasing level of pollution, was highlighted on Wednesday.
The Tamil Nadu Asthma and Allergy Research Foundation (TAARF), which focuses on prevention of allergies, asthma attack and updated treatment with pulmonary rehabilitation, organised an awareness camp at the Central Prison here on the occasion of World Asthma Day. This year’s theme was ‘You can control Asthma.’
Over 800 inmates were given a questionnaire. Of 240 subjected to test, 25 had symptoms of asthma. “The prisoners were made aware of the myths on asthma,” said G. Kamal of TAARF.
Rising level of pollution is believed to cause an increase in the number of children affected by asthma.
“Many cases which I treat are from Ariyalur. The children are affected by the dust from the cement factories,” observed paediatrician Kingsley Jebakumar.
“A normal person uses only 30 to 40 per cent of their lungs for breathing. But an asthma patient is trained to use more than 40 per cent of their lungs for breathing through pulmonary rehabilitation,” said Dr. Kamal.
According to TAARF a large number of asthma patients in India are in the age group of five and below in Madurai, Chennai, Coimbatore and Tiruchi because of the high levels of pollution.
Dr Kamal says that medication for asthma is as per the guidelines of GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) all over the world. Asthma can be controlled by daily breathing exercise, less exposure to dust and passive smoking and awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, he said.
