By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – World Health agency on Thursday warned that chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma are vastly underestimated, under diagnosed and poorly managed in Europe affecting 80 million people and costing $21 billion a year.
WHO Europe and the European Respiratory Society in a new report highlighted how smoking and air pollution are driving the growing crisis.
Professor Silke Ryan, President of the European Respiratory Society said “We take 22,000 breaths a day, yet respiratory health remains one of the most neglected areas in global health.
Data analysis showed that chronic respiratory illnesses are the sixth leading cause of death in Europe.
They are often misdiagnosed owing to weak diagnostic systems, limited training and inadequate health data.
The effective treatments are available, asthma-related deaths remain high among young people, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is responsible for eight in 10 respiratory disease deaths, WHO stated.
WHO Europe urged governments to prioritize chronic respiratory disease, set measurable targets and tackle root causes like tobacco and air pollution as preparations begin for the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases.
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