The Petition
Respiratory diseases are a major public health concern. 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, 210 million suffer from COPD and 600 million suffer from allergic rhinitis. More than half of them live in low-income populations, and of the 3 million deaths from COPD in 2005, 90 per cent occurred in low- and middle-income countries.1 Indoor air pollution caused by biomass fuel use for cooking and heating has been shown to be an independent risk factor for COPD. In fact, two million people die every year as a result of exposure to cooking stove smoke.2
At the first-ever UN High-Level meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases in September 2011, global leaders recognised the need to tackle the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, including respiratory diseases. We welcome the recognition by global leaders of the rising burden of NCDs, and the risks associated with indoor pollution, as a stepping stone for global action.
By 2025, COPD is predicted to become the third cause of death and will surpass AIDS/HIV in Africa.3 It is of the utmost importance that we continue efforts to invest in the collection of data on the prevalence of COPD and its risk factors in Sub-Saharan Africa so that the appropriate action can be taken.