Asthma the bane of many in the UAE

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 10 Feb 2010

THE UAE has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world, with 13 per cent diagnosis rates, according to a recent medical research.

Despite this high statistic in the number of asthmatic patients, effective diagnosis, care and management of the disease remain insufficient in the country.

The research has revealed that about 58 per cent of the asthmatics in the UAE suffer daytime symptoms, an unnecessary compromise on life that can be prevented by following an asthma management plan that achieves control.

In serious response to the research report carried out by GlaxoSmithKline, the health authorities in Dubai have introduced a comprehensive respiratory education project that will facilitate fighting the prevalence of asthmatic diseases among the residents.

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has signed an asthma management partnership contract with the GSK this week, aimed to establish a centre for excellence in respiratory care in the country.

According to officials, the Dubai Respiratory Centre of Excellence will train hundreds of respiratory nurse specialists, so that the asthma patients in the emirate and across the UAE will be able to get the world's highest standards of respiratory care.