On Wednesday an alliance of Chinese doctors and lung specialists
was set up to fight the deadly chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD). The move was taken ahead of the fifth "World COPD
Day" on November 16.
The Guangzhou-based alliance, originated by the Chinese Medical
Association (CMA) and the German Boehringer Ingelheim Group, brings
together respiratory specialists from across the country. It aims
to raise public awareness, share clinical experience and advise
policymakers about issues such as smoking and air pollution.
The COPD is a group of chronic lung diseases. As the disease
worsens breathing becomes more difficult making it difficult to
carryout daily activities. A COPD attack can be mild to
life-threatening. And although COPD can be controlled it can’t be
cured, experts say.?
The World Heath Organization say COPD and HIV/AIDS rank fourth
on the list of deadly diseases after cardiopathy, cerebrovascular
diseases and acute lung infection.
Zhong Nanshan, director of the CMA and one of the organizers of
the alliance, said COPD poses a serious challenge to the medical
world.?
China has more than 38 million COPD sufferers. About 8.2 percent
of Chinese above 40 are COPD victims. About 100,000 people die of
the disease each year.?
Experts said COPD in its early stages is often neglected because
shortness of breath is often thought to be merely a sign of old
age.
(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2006)