By Francis Ogar
Uyo
President, Nigerian Thoracic Society (NIS), Prof. Etete Peters, has disclosed that about 25 Millions Nigerians were estimated to be asthmatic and 300 million were suffering from the disease in the world.
Peters, who is also the Chief Medical Director (CMD), University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Akwa Ibom state, made the remarks yesterday while speaking with newsmen on the World Asthma Day.
He said: “About 300 million are estimated to be asthmatic worldwide and additional 100 million will be diagnosed with the disease in 2025. In Nigeria, about 25 million are estimated to be asthmatic and the number expected to rise with increasing industrialization and better diagnostic facilities.”
He said14 per cent of students in some Nigerian universities were estimated to be asthmatic, making it one of the commonest disease condition among adolescence and young adults in the country.
Peters explained that asthma was chronic inflammatory disorder of the airway in which many cells and cellular element play a role.
He said: “This inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing particularly at night and early in the morning. These episodes are usually associated with widespread but variable airflow obstruction that is often reversible either spontaneously or with treatment.”
Our correspondent reports that World Asthma Day is marked every first Tuesday of May as an annual event organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care around the world.