Tonya Winders

By Surfers and Chess Players Staff

The world can no longer breathe easily with a silent killer taking the lives of 3 million people a year.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects over 380 million people and is the world’s fourth leading cause of death. And yet, the progressive lung condition that obstructs airflow, making it hard to breathe, is under-prioritized, underfunded, and undertreated across healthcare systems worldwide, according to Tonya Winders, president of Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP).

To shine a spotlight on a disease that is expected to cost the global economy $4.3 trillion between 2020 and 2050, a coalition of healthcare groups that include GAAPP, the COPD Foundation and the International Federation on Aging hopes to raise awareness, improve prevention and help people better manage the disease.

In recognition of World COPD Day this week, healthcare leaders are advocating for policy changes that incorporate COPD diagnosis and treatment into primary care systems and universal health coverage packages.

COPD is not just a smoker’s disease. In fact, many COPD patients have never smoked. Another major cause of COPD is air pollution, which contributes to 7 million deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization.

COPD develops gradually over time, according to the WHO, often resulting from a combination of risk factors such as tobacco exposure; occupational exposure to dusts, fumes or chemicals; indoor air pollution such as biomass fuel or coal used for cooking or heating in low- and middle-income countries; early life events in utero, prematurity or frequent respiratory infections in childhood; and a rare genetic condition that can cause COPD at a young age.

There is no cure for COPD and the damaged airways don’t regenerate, but it can be treated with medicines, oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation.

To tackle this problem, world health leaders suggest a four-pronged approach that includes protecting population health, catching COPD early, creating timely access to comprehensive care, and strengthening government strategies, research and data.

WHO urges countries to minimize risk factors such as air pollution, promote clean energy sources, invest in public transportation and active transport options like cycling and walking to create healthier environments. At the local and national level, developing public awareness campaigns that alert people to COPD symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, and detecting and diagnosing patients early can change the future of COPD.

Equally important is making sure patients have timely access to care to manage the disease.

It’s time for world leaders to make COPD a public health priority.