300 million people suffer from asthma globally. It also
causes about 250000 persons deaths annually. According to the World Health
Organization the number of asthmatic patients is expected to increase to 400
million by 2025. Shri GhulamNabi Azad, Union Minister of Health and Family
Welfare said this at Hyderabad on December,06, 2012.
Addressing the inaugural programme of the World Allergy
Organization International Scientific Conference at International Convention
Centre, Hyderabad, Shri Azad said that 400 million people suffer from
rhi-ni-tis, 200 to 250 million people suffer from food allergies and one tenth
of the population suffers from drug allergies.Allergic diseases include
life-threatening conditions like ana-phy-laxis, food allergies, certain forms
of asthma, rhi-ni-tis, angio-edema, skin allergies, eo-sino-philic disorders, including
eo-sino-philiceso-pha-gitis, and drug and insect allergies.The scourge of
Diabetes, Cardio-Vascular Diseases, Cancer and Chronic Respiratory Diseases is
posing a mounting challenge to health care practitioners, administrators and
policy makers in terms of the increasing complexity of treatment, life-long
management and rising demand for more resources. Alarmed by the rising
incidence of the non-communicable diseases and its impact on the health care
delivery, the Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and
Non-communicable Disease Control was held in Moscow in April 2011 followed by
the high level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in September,
2011. The Special Session of UN General Assembly was attended by Heads of
State, Heads of Government and Health Ministers from across the Globe. As
Health Minister, he was able to outline the concrete steps taken by India to
prevent and control the Non-Communicable Diseasewhich have emerged as the
leading cause of disease, disability and death worldwide.
He said 20 to 30 per cent of people in India are having
one or more allergic diseases and their prevalence is rising day by day. Taking
children and adults together, there are nearly 30 million Asthmatics in India
today, which constitutes about 10% of the global burden of Asthma. A study on
Epidemiology of Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms and Chronic Bronchitis, called
INSEARCH, sponsored by the Indian Council of Medical Research in 2012 revealed
that Asthmatics above the age of 15 years alone number more than 17 million.
This is commonly associated with Allergic Rhi-ni-tis. Food Allergies as well as
Skin Allergic disorders are also seen in India.Increased urbanisation, altered
lifestyles and food habits and increase in environmental pollution play a role
in causing an increase in allergic diseases.While the true burden of allergic
diseases and the expertise to care for these diseases is still an unmet need in
many countries, the World Allergy Organization made various efforts to advance
the scientific and clinical expertise related to these diseases in over 94
countries. The White Book of the World Allergy Organization on
Allergysummarizes the burden of disease, risk factors, impact on quality of
life of patients, their socio-economic consequences, treatment, future
therapies and the cost-benefit analyses of care services.
Shri Azad said the upsurge in the prevalence of allergies
is observed as societies become more affluent and urbanized. Environmental risk
factors like outdoor and indoor pollution combined with reduced biodiversity
also contribute to this rise in prevalence. Allergic diseases occur together in
the same individual and persons with allergic diseases like asthma and
co-morbid non-communicable diseases like diabetes, obesity and
gastro-esophageal reflux leading to more complex situations and worse outcomes
associated with these complications. This requires greater awareness of
allergic disorders, their underlying causes, diagnosis and treatment,
particularly for primary care physicians and specialists. Owing to burden-some
health care costs, disability, absenteeism, and loss of income, allergic
diseases result in a substantial socio-economic burden to the affected
families. Because of their multiple interacting causes and complications, as
well as their lifelong chronic nature, allergic diseases challenge current
paradigms of health care organization and delivery.
He called upon the experts from high, middle, and low income countries to come together to develop common strategies to find solutions at the levels of policy, health care delivery, health communication and education.
He called upon the experts from high, middle, and low income countries to come together to develop common strategies to find solutions at the levels of policy, health care delivery, health communication and education.