miércoles, 6 de mayo de 2009

Cuba Marks World Asthma Day with Positive Results

HAVANA, Cuba. Cuba marked this Tuesday the World Asthma Day with advances in the care of people suffering from that condition, and actions promoting breastfeeding and a life style without smoking.

Dr. Dania Fabre, coordinator of the National Group for Comprehensive Care of Children and Adolescents explained to ACN that increasing the knowledge about asthma and care contributes to improving the quality of life of patients.

Thirteen percent of Cuban teenagers suffer from bronchial asthma, which can lead to physical disabilities and impact on the family’s dynamics, said the doctor, who is also a founder of the allergy services of the Juan Manuel Márquez pediatric training hospital of Havana.

According to Dr. Fabré, heredity and the environment are key factors for the emerging of this chronic respiratory condition that currently affects more than 300 million people around the world.

In Cuba, the genetic factor in this disease is very high, that’s why it is very important to identify the contaminant agents, she explained, adding that in 2007, bronchial asthma was the second highest cause of hospital admissions.

For several years, the Juan Manuel Márquez hospital and other Cuban institutions have been organizing courses for asthmatic children, which are also attended by parents and physical education teachers, who learn how to deal with their asthmatic students so that instead of limiting them, they are able to increase their physical activity.

World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. It takes place on the first Tuesday of May. The theme of this year's event is "You Can Control Your Asthma."


(Cuba con acciones concretas en Día Mundial contra el Asma)

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