LUCKNOW, May 6 -- Almost 3.4 crore people in India are living with asthma, accounting for 13 per cent of the global burden of asthma patients, highlighted doctors of the pulmonary and critical care medicine department of King George's Medical University, on the occasion of World Asthma Day. The department organised a symposium to highlight the critical need for ensuring access to inhaled treatments for all asthma patients. Dr Ved Prakash, head of the department shared that India contributes to 46% of the global asthma-related deaths, highlighting significant gaps in diagnosis, treatment and management. "Studies suggest that only 5% of asthma cases are correctly diagnosed and treated in India," he added. At the seminar, doctors extensively discussed this year's theme, "Make inhaled treatments accessible for all", set annually by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). While pointing out the critical need for inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), Dr Prakash stated, "Despite the inclusion of ICS in essential medicines lists, their usage remains suboptimal due to factors such as lack of awareness, stigma, high costs, and supply chain issues," adding that addressing these challenges is imperative to reduce asthma-related morbidity and mortality. Dr Surya Kant, former National President of the Indian College of Allergy, Asthma, and Applied Immunology (ICAAAI) and head of department of respiratory medicine at KGMU, shared a public advisory supporting the theme. "According to the theme, the use of inhalers plays a beneficial role in managing asthma. Asthma attacks can cause significant distress for both the patient and their caregivers, often requiring hospitalisation. ICS medications treat the inflammation that causes asthma and help prevent attacks," he explained. "Access to inhaled treatments is a necessity for all asthma patients," Dr Prakash said at the event, stressing that it is the most common chronic disease among children and adults worldwide....