Launch of Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD)

Launch of Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD)

March 28, 2006

Hundreds of Millions Suffer From Chronic Respiratory Diseases

    BEIJING, March 28 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Today, the
Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD)
is being launched in Beijing, China.  The alliance is a
global voluntary alliance of 41 national and international
organizations focused on reducing the global disease burden
of chronic respiratory diseases by integrating and
strengthening surveillance, prevention and treatment
efforts. 

    (Logo: 
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040610/CNTH001LOGO )

    Currently, hundreds of millions of people suffer from
chronic respiratory diseases, including 300 million people
with asthma, 80 million people with moderate to severe
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and millions
of others with mild COPD, allergic rhinitis, and other
chronic respiratory diseases, which are often undiagnosed. 
WHO estimates that some 4 million people died of chronic
respiratory diseases (CRD) in 2005 and that total deaths
will increase by 30% in the next 10 years, if action is not
taken now.

    "The goal of GARD," says Professor Jean
Bousquet, GARD chairman, "is to reduce the global
burden of chronic respiratory diseases.  As the prevalence
and global burden of chronic respiratory diseases are
expected to increase considerably in the near future, it is
clear that immediate action is greatly needed and the cost
for inaction is unacceptable."

    The key objectives for GARD involve a comprehensive
approach to fight chronic respiratory diseases and in many
cases will build on already existing initiatives.  They
include:

    -- Developing a standard way of obtaining data on risk
factors and disease 
       burden of chronic respiratory diseases.  This will
help define 
       strategies and raise chronic respiratory diseases on
the global and 
       local health agendas (as a public health priority).

    -- Encouraging countries to implement health promotion
and chronic disease 
       prevention policies such as tobacco control in order
to reduce the 
       burden of chronic respiratory disease as well as
other chronic diseases.

    -- Making recommendations for how to provide simple and
affordable 
       strategies for the management of chronic respiratory
diseases for all 
       patients in all countries.  Strategies will focus on
early diagnosis 
       and appropriate and affordable treatments, because
chronic respiratory 
       diseases are largely under-diagnosed and
under-treated.

    In China, an estimated 17% of all deaths are due to
chronic respiratory diseases.  "Rapid urbanization in
China has contributed to the sharp rise in chronic disease
risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, and
unhealthy diet.  By creating a supportive environment where
healthy choices are easy and accessible, healthy life years
will be added for individuals and the society at
large," says Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to
China. 

    WHO advocates an integrated approach to prevention and
care for all leading chronic diseases.  Integrated
approaches that combine chronic respiratory diseases
prevention and management with a similar approach for heart
disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic diseases are
necessary because the diseases share common risk factors
and require similar responses from the health system.  The
integrated approach is not only best for prevention and
management, it is also cost-effective.  This approach is
outlined in the recent released report, Preventing chronic
diseases a vital investment, which also called for a Global
Goal to reduce death rates from chronic respiratory diseases
and other chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke,
cancer and diabetes by an additional 2% per year over and
above existing trends during the next 10 years, to 2015.

    Information about GARD is available on:
http://www.who.int/respiratory/gard/en .

    Information about Preventing chronic diseases: a vital
investment is available on:
http://www.who.int/chp/chronic_disease_report/en .

    For further information, please contact:

     Ms Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
     Communications Officer 
     Tel:    [phone] x681 or [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Dr Nikolai Khaltaev
     WHO Responsible Officer for GARD
     WHO/Geneva
     Tel:    [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

SOURCE  World Health Organization