adminTanaka Mahanya
INTERNATIONAL Non-Governmental Organisation, Achieving Control of Asthma in Children in Africa (ACACIA), has promised to continue raising awareness about asthma treatment and improving awareness of the disease.
ACACIA paediatrician, Dr Ismail Ticklay, said the organisation was working on improving the knowledge of asthma in children between the ages of 12 and 14 years.
“We have focused on school-going children, so we do plays on treatment, symptoms and barriers to treatment.
“We screen children using a questionnaire (breathing survey) to identify children with asthma symptoms.
“From our findings, we have discovered that 75 percent of the tested children have severe cases of asthma and they are not diagnosed due to failure to access treatment.” Dr Ticklay added:
“During the survey, we discovered that the main cause of asthma in children is commuting to and from school. Therefore, we continue to urge the public that since children are exposed to gases during this period, they should walk to school,” he said.
Dr Ticklay said rural children are often safe due to constant exercises from walking to and from school.
“When asthma is well controlled, those suffering from it can lead a completely normal life, and exercise or do sporting activities,” he said.
Online Reporter