According to the data of the National Chest Disease Institute of the capital Dhaka, 30 percent of the patients who come to the institution's hospital for treatment are asthma patients. This number is increasing every year. This information is known from a report of BBC Bengal on Wednesday (May 5).
According to the report, Bangladesh Lung Foundation conducts a survey on respiratory diseases every ten years. The survey showed that in 1999, there were 7 million asthma patients in the country. After 10 years, the number of patients increased by 20 lakhs to 90 lakhs. It was not possible to conduct the next survey for the coronavirus in 2020. However, experts believe that asthma is more common in urban areas.
Asthma symptoms:
Bangladesh coordinator of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Initiative for Asthma. Kazi Saifuddin Bennoor says that the primary symptoms of asthma are four.
If someone has symptoms such as occasional difficulty breathing, wheezing with breathing, dry cough, sometimes persistent cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath with little exertion, they are probably suffering from asthma. If someone has such a problem, he should consult a doctor.
Dr. Kazi Saifuddin Bennur says, Asthma is caused by genetic or environmental factors. In recent times environmental factors are seen in urban areas. Asthma can affect children and adults.
Asthma is more common in cities:
Asthma is more common in urban areas, densely populated areas and areas undergoing urbanization, according to the World Health Organization. Asthma UK says. Asthma is increasing due to air pollution.
Dr. Kazi Saifuddin Bennoor says that the environment in the city is highly polluted. Due to environmental pollution due to dust, smoke, etc., lung disease spreads rapidly. In this case, those who have asthma suffer a little more. Those who have fewer problems are more likely to develop asthma.
Overcrowding is the main cause of asthma in urban areas. Many people live together in the city. As a result, the indoor environment becomes damp and unhealthy. A type of insect called 'dust mite' is more likely to develop in dust and dirt accumulated in the furniture of the house. Which increases asthma to a great extent.
Women and children are also affected as there is no mechanism for exhausting cooking fumes in the city. As the environment in the village is open, this problem is relatively less in the village. Besides, artificial food is eaten instead of fresh food in the city. Physical exercise (Exercise) and hard work are also reduced. Especially in the case of children it can be said that besides the pollution they do not have enough space for sports. Indoor life hinders the development of healthy lungs in children. That is why even weak lungs are prone to asthma.
