World Lung Day - September 25th, 2019
Today, on World Lung Day (WLD), NRS unites with other WLD partner organisations to advocate for respiratory health globally and call on policymakers to ensure that everyone has access to the services they need to improve their lung health.
Respiratory diseases impose an immense worldwide health burden. The facts are shocking.
WLD, on 25th September, comes two days after the UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC). UHC calls for all people to receive the health services they need, when they need it, without suffering financial hardship. At least half of the world’s population still do not have full coverage of essential health services.
The global spotlight on UHC represents an opportunity for substantial progress in the fight against lung disease around the world. On WLD this year we are united in our message: ‘Leave no one behind. On World Lung Day, we call for healthy lungs for all.’
“UHC is particularly important to persons with respiratory disease. For example, a break in the supply of medicine for patients with tuberculosis could cause the development of drug resistance, which carries serious consequences. The abrupt unavailability of asthma medicine could cause severe suffering and even death. Lack of health care provider availability usually means delay in diagnosis, which could be fatal for lung cancer patients,” said Dean Schraufnagel, MD, Executive Director of Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS).
“We hope World Lung Day will provide an opportunity for action, conversation, and awareness. A unified voice of all dedicated to respiratory health will be a powerful force,” concludes Dr. Schraufnagel.
Please sign the charter for Lung Health
About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS)
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organisation comprised of the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally: American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latino Americana De Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally. For more information about FIRS please contact Lisa Roscoe lisa.roscoe@firsnet.org
