Raise Awareness on Asthma Management on World Asthma Day

I'm sure many of your family and friends suffered asthma coz' it is one of the most common respiratory diseases and it has been consistently on the rise. To let my 5 Little Angels learn about such diseases, Mommy Jane brought them to 1 Mont Kiara on last Saturday to join the launch of World Asthma Day.

Estimated asthma prevalence in Malaysia has increased from 6.4% to 9.4% in children aged 6-7 years old and from 9% to 13% in children aged 13-14 years old.¹ In view of the increasing number of asthma patients in Malaysia and the growing need to educate the public on asthma management, Asthma Malaysia and AstraZeneca has once again joined forces to organise the all-new ‘Breathe Better’ public campaign at the 1 Mont Kiara mall, in conjunction with World Asthma Day.

Dr. Helmy Haja Mydin, Consultant Respiratory Physician and co-founder of Asthma Malaysia, Dina Nadzir, Malaysian Singer, Radio Announcer, Actress, and Television Presenter; and Ashwini Saha, Country Medical Director and Asia Area Cardiovascular Metabolism Medical Therapeutic Area Lead, AstraZeneca officiated the launched of World Asthma Day to bring awareness to the public on the significance of managing asthma effectively.

‘Take Control of Your Asthma’’' was was aimed at educating attendees on the importance of utilising controller medication for the management and treatment of asthma symptoms over the long term, rather than relying solely on reliever medication. 

Dr. Helmy 

Dr. Helmy said that it is crucial to increased the knowledge and awareness of the public on how to manage asthma. Getting diagnosed early is vital in order to prevent attacks that can be both disabling and draining. Early and proper control with appropriate medication will not only prevent severe illness, but improve one’s quality of life especially in the face of haze and ongoing risks of respiratory infections. He added that the campaign also serves as an opportunity for healthcare professionals and individuals with asthma to come together and share their experiences and insights with the aim of improving asthma care and management in Malaysia.

As we know that Asthma can be classified as mild, moderate and severe. Based on the severity, patients would require different types and dosage of medication to control their condition. Each level requires different types of treatment in asthma management. Severe asthmatic patients need special attention as they are more prone to having frequent asthmatic attacks despite being skilful at administering the inhaler correctly. It is also important to remember that most patients with asthma can have a normal life with the right inhaled therapy. For a smaller group of patients with severe asthma, there are more personalised options which will require modification based on individual needs.

Surprisingly, the number of deaths due to asthma in 2014 was 1,700 cases in our country. However, experts believe that the vast majority of deaths due to asthma can be avoided if early and proper treatment is given.

The World Asthma Day 2023 celebration at 1 Mont Kiara featured educational games and an exhibition that showcases key educational messages about asthma, serving as a vital platform for the public to further understand and gain first-hand information of this respiratory disease. 

Congrats to all the winners for their creativity

The event also included sessions on asthma sharing by local artist Dina, along with interactive gaming booths and a colouring competition to engage the younger participants. Check out my video for the event as below..

The World Asthma Day 2023 celebration is still ongoing and everyone is invited to attend the event. For further information, log on to https://qr.epmarketing.digital/wad2023.

Dina shared her experience being a Asthma patient

World Asthma Day is the best time for all of us know about the disease and how we could prevent or control it before it become worst. My Little Angels had participated the games and they enjoyed it so much. Glad that they learned about Asthma from the games that they played. Let's Breathe Better together before it is too late. Join me now to acknowledge the importance of Asthma in our life and we could save someone life too.

About Breathe Better

The Breathe Better campaign raises awareness about effectively managing asthma to prevent complications and improve people's quality of life. Its key message, ‘Take Control of Your Asthma’ emphasises the need for every patient to take control of their asthma and know what is the best treatment option to them.

About Asthma Malaysia

Asthma Malaysia is a non-profitable organisation with the mission to serve as a credible resource on asthma, to raise awareness of best standards of care and to empower patients in the management of their asthma.

Asthma Malaysia’s vision is to be Malaysia’s leading portal for asthma with a view of creating more informed and empowered patients. We aim to ensure that asthma care in Malaysia is equal to the best in the world with a view to reducing the suffering and deaths associated with it.

We intend to evolve into an organisation that will proactively engage in research and promotional campaign to increase awareness of asthma in Malaysia.