Cape Town, March 6, — Millions of people continue to die from chronic respiratory diseases each year, yet the issue receives far less media and policy attention than its global health burden warrants, World Health Organization officials have said.
José Luis Castro, the WHO General Special Envoy on Chronic Respiratory Diseases and Director of the Pace University Centre for Global Health, said more than half a billion people worldwide are living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
According to the WHO, asthma affects more than 260 million people globally, while COPD accounts for over 3.5 million deaths annually, making it the third leading cause of death worldwide.
Mr Castro made the remarks during a media training workshop on chronic respiratory diseases held in Cape Town, South Africa.
Growing burden in Ghana
Available data shows that Ghana recorded 84,700 asthma cases in 2021, which declined slightly to 80,841 cases in 2022.
Asthma contributes to about 10 per cent of hospital admissions among children in the country. Among children aged five to 19, reported cases increased from 23,926 in 2021 to 25,413 in 2022, representing 31.4 per cent of the total cases.
Mr Castro said chronic respiratory diseases significantly reduced quality of life and placed heavy financial pressure on already stretched health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
“The burden on families, health systems and national economies is enormous,” he noted.
Media training to strengthen reporting
The three-day workshop, titled “Unpacking the Chronic Respiratory Disease Epidemic,” brought together journalists from Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The programme, organised by the WHO in collaboration with the Pace University Centre for Global Health, aimed to equip journalists with scientific knowledge, expert insights and credible data to improve reporting on chronic respiratory diseases.
Mr Castro urged governments to reduce the incidence of COPD through stronger tobacco taxation and stricter regulation of industries responsible for air pollution.
“Taxing tobacco and polluting industries can help governments raise revenue to strengthen healthcare systems and tackle diseases caused by these products,” he said.
Risks of smoking and air pollution
He also warned about the dangers of second-hand smoke, especially for children.
“Second-hand smoke can be even more harmful, particularly for children whose lungs are still developing,” he explained.
Mr Castro emphasised that journalists played a key role in raising awareness and holding policymakers accountable.
“Journalists are the bridge between science, policy and the public. When air pollution becomes normalised or medicines are inaccessible, journalism must question why,” he said.
Disproportionate impact on developing countries
Dr Sarah Rylance, a medical officer with the WHO’s Non-Communicable Diseases Management Unit, said over 90 per cent of premature deaths from chronic respiratory diseases occur in low- and middle-income countries.
She added that approximately 1,000 people die from asthma every day worldwide, despite the condition being manageable with proper treatment.
Major drivers of chronic respiratory diseases include tobacco smoking, air pollution and occupational exposure to hazardous substances, she said.
In sub-Saharan Africa, household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels remains a major risk factor, disproportionately affecting women and children.
Limited diagnostic tools and medicines
Professor Bob Mash of Stellenbosch University noted that many primary healthcare facilities in low-income countries still lacked basic diagnostic equipment such as spirometers and peak-flow meters.
He added that life-saving inhaled medicines remained unavailable or unaffordable for many patients.
Prof Mash commended the WHO’s efforts to promote integrated prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic respiratory diseases through primary healthcare systems as part of achieving universal health coverage.
He stressed that improving public awareness, strengthening health systems and expanding access to essential medicines were crucial to reducing the global burden of asthma and COPD.
The WHO defines asthma as a chronic lung condition caused by inflammation and tightening of muscles around the airways, making breathing difficult.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung disease that restricts airflow and causes breathing problems, often associated with conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
GHBUSS
6 March 2026
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