CHRONIC Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is alarming nowadays that the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) and Novartis Healthcare Philippines (NHP) jointly launched an initiative aimed at improving the knowledge of local health-care professionals in the diagnosis and management of such weakening and life-threatening inflammatory illness that causes blocked airflow from the lungs.
Called “Broadening Reach, Enhancing Awareness and Transforming Health Education” (Breathe), this campaign also seeks to increase public awareness on avoiding or mitigating COPD risk factors.
A recent study, titled “The Global Burden of COPD” published in the journal Respirology said knowledge about the disease is low among the general population.
This is quite ironic despite this seventh leading cause of death in the country could affect smokers and nonsmokers alike, as well as people exposed to air pollution and fumes from burning fuel for cooking and heating in poorly ventilated homes.
The research also revealed that many doctors are unaware of new developments in the detection and control of COPD.
Its symptoms—including breathing difficulty, cough, mucus (sputum) production and wheezing—have a destructive impact on patients’ function (i.e., activity limitation, decreased mobility) and quality of life.
COPD is often a combination of two conditions—emphysema and chronic bronchitis. People with either or both diseases are highly susceptible to heart disease, lung cancer and other health conditions.
The good news, though, is that COPD is curable. With proper management, most patients can control their symptoms and enhance their quality of life, as well as reduce their risk of other related diseases.
Another finding of the report is underutilization of spirometry, a lung-function test hailed as the “gold standard” for confirmation of its diagnosis and assessing symptoms and exacerbations.
All these, according to the study, makes COPD underdiagnosis as among the big challenges besetting the health-care industry today.
“Novartis fully supports the PCCP in implementing the Breathe initiative and achieving our shared goal of making more Filipinos aware of COPD and easing its heavy disease burden in the country,” said Cheryl Maley, president and managing director of NHP.
Lay fora and free clinics, including the provision of medical services, such as spirometry, are some of the activities to be implemented in this program. Breathe will also promote the use of digital platforms and social media to spread information and promote public awareness on COPD.
Continuing medical education (CME) activities will also be conducted using modern e-congress technology, such as webinars to enhance the knowledge of local health-care professionals in COPD diagnosis and management, particularly in spirometry.
The launch of the Breathe initiative was part of the events the PCCP and NHP held in line with the nationwide observance of World COPD Day on November 15, themed “The Many Faces of COPD.”
That international annual affair was organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease in collaboration with health-care professionals and COPD patient groups throughout the world.