BerokZindagi Yatra for awareness about asthma

4/1/2019

PUNE: Breathefree is a public service initiative from Cipla recently organized a #BerokZindagi yatra in various parts of the country. This is the extension of the national wide campaign to curb stigmas associated to Asthma. The month long campaign started on 15 December, 2018. 

The yatra is to understand and accept inhalation therapy without fear and stigma. Global Disease Burden 2016, India is second after China with Asthma Prevalence (in absolute number) as well as the Asthma Mortality (in absolute number). This making #BerokZindgai yatra more significant in the region.

The initiative  in Maharashtra would include a special van which will travel across Maharashtra for 75 days across 150 small towns and villages . The Van is equipped with information on Asthma , it's symptoms , breathometers and the initiative will include free screening and consultation from Doctors . The activity will kick start in Maharashtra from koregaon  dist. Satara from 4th January and continue till mid March . 

According to Dr.Ajit Kulkarni,Chest Physician, Jehangir Hospital “Ongoing education is of paramount importance in chronic diseases like asthma. This is precisely where #BerokZindagi Yatra enables patients to participate and have a more effective role in their own treatment, working together with doctors to achieve optimal inhaler use and disease control, thereby living life to the fullest. While encouraging an increased dialogue on the management of asthma, this campaign also directly resonates with our endeavor of enabling people with the condition to achieve more in their daily lives” 

Need of an hour is to overcome barriers/ taboos and understand the importance of inhalation therapy and adhere to it. Asthma is a chronic disease which requires long-term treatment. Many patients once they feel better stop taking their inhalers. This can be dangerous since discontinuing treatment means stopping the very thing that is keeping them fit and healthy. Patients should consult their doctor on each and everything that stops them from not continuing inhalers rather than taking decision which can be dangerous.

According to Dr.Ashish Goyal,MD Chest, Jehangir Hospital added, “It is very significant to change the perception towards Asthma and Inhalation Therapy. While inhalation treatment can play a crucial role in reducing the impact of asthma on people’s lives, compliance is crucial. Inhaled medicines helps to deliver the drugs directly to the lungs. But we need patients to adopt the treatment as they are prescribed in order to get the full benefit.”

Although asthma is not curable, it is possible to gain complete control over it and lead a normal active life. There are several therapies and forms of treatment for asthma available in the market. However, it has now been accepted globally that the best and safest way to take asthma medication is by inhalation as it reaches your lungs directly and starts acting immediately. But if you are on tablet or syrup, the medication takes time to act as the medicine has to pass from the stomach to the blood and finally to the lungs. This could also result in several side effects. It is to be noted that in Inhalation therapy, the dosage needed is up to 20 times lesser than syrups or tablets and far more effective.