Introduction:
COPD is celebrated on the third Wednesday of November every year, in collaboration with health experts and patients with COPD.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is not one single disease but an umbrella term used to describe chronic lung diseases that cause limitations in lung airflow. COPD is a life-threatening disease in advanced cases.
Facts:
- WHO predicts that COPD will become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030.
- Smoking is the leading cause of COPD (including secondhand smoking).
- Exposure to air pollution, dust and vapors are other risk factors of COPD.
- The most common symptoms are: breathing difficulty, mucus production and chronic cough.
- Some cases of COPD are due to long-term asthma.
- The symptoms of COPD are progressively worsening and persistent breathlessness on exertion, eventually leading to breathlessness at rest.
- COPD is not curable, but treatment can relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
Objectives:
- Promote COPD worldwide.
- Raise the awareness about COPD and reduce associated deaths.
- Improve healthcare standard for patients with COPD.
- Draw the attention of decision-makers, public health professionals and community in general for working collectively to develop programs to detect, prevent and control the disease.
Official Date:
- Globally: November 15th, 2017
- Locally: Safar 26th, 1439H.
Theme of World COPD Day:
“THE MANY FACES OF COPD”.
Target Groups:
- Smokers and secondhand smokers.
- Health professionals including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and health educators.
- Education professionals including teachers, social workers and others.
- School students.
- Health decision-makers.
- Health organizations and associations.
- The public.
Related Links:
http://www.who.int
http://goldcopd.org