Andhra Pradesh - Others   

Call for steps to check incidence of asthma

Correspondent

Kakinada: Asthma is slowly emerging as a dreaded disease and is likely to scale to the first slot along with diabetes by 2020, according to M. Raghavendra Rao, professor of chest diseases in Rangaraya Medical College and Government General Hospital. Addressing a press conference on the eve of World Asthma Day here on Tuesday, Dr. Raghavendra Rao attributed the alarming rate of incidence of bronchial asthma to smoking, using of adulterated edible oil and environmental pollution.

Improper ventilation, incense sticks and mosquito coils were also contributing to the sudden spurt in prevalence of the disease. He warned that even infants were being affected and advised people not to buy edible oil in loose.

Alarming situation

Out of 1.50 lakh asthma patients dying in the world, 35 per cent were from India alone. Unless effective steps were taken, the situation would worsen further, he warned. He said that asthma could be effectively treated though not cured cent per cent as modern and affordable drugs and inhalers were available. On the famous fish `medicine' of Hyderabad, Dr. Raghavendra Rao said its efficacy was not scientifically proved. Prakash Chikatla of Cipla also spoke.

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