Recent studies have shown an increase in the incidence of asthma among Saudis with 20-25 percent suffering from the disease according to Dr. Hamadn Al-Jahdali, consultant of chest diseases and sleep disorders at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.

He said the Ministry of Health is in the process of conducting a comprehensive national survey on the spread of asthma through approved international standards.

Dr. Hamdan, speaking during the Boehringer Ingelheim Third Regional Forum for Respiratory Infections under the title, “Today’s treatment with an eye on the future,” held in Istanbul, said that up to 250,000 people died from asthma yearly in addition to the social and economic burdens of the disease.

According to a report by the World Health Organization in 2010, the number of those affected with asthma is 300 million people worldwide and the figure is expected to reach 400 million by the year 2025.

He said there are huge efforts on the part of the Asthma Society and the National Committee for Chest Treatment to draft a national plan to treat asthma.

The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom has formed a national committee to devise a national plan to treat asthma, follow up on the medications and their availability.

In addition, the ministry has supplied asthma medications to all hospitals and clinics which are distributed to patients free of cost.

Dr. Hamdan added that there are treatment plans which will help doctors with their treatment, in addition to the printing of awareness materials in a special book for patients.