KUWAIT, May 22 (KUNA) -- The percentage of asthma patients increased to 15 percent, an Allergy and Internal Medicine Specialist at Al-Rashed Allergy Center said.
On the occassion of World Asthma Day, Dr Nasser Al-Ahmad described asthma as the "21st century's disease," adding that there is a sharp increase during the last 40 years not in terms of spread of the disease, but also in severity, mortality and economic burden associated with this type of disease, especially among children.
This allergeic disease has become more difficult and complex, where an individual suffers from different kinds of allergies causing side effects that affect their life style and work, Al-Ahmad said.
The annual costs of direct and indirect treatments of asthma and allergy are very high and constitute a significant burden on modern economies, Al-Ahmad pointed.
Yearly, he said, an individual pays USD 300-1,300 which adds up to USD 20 billion worldwide. He added that 300 million patients suffer from asthma, and 400 million others suffer from rhinitis allergy.
Al-Rashed Allergy Center receives 200-300 patients daily mostly suffer from Asthma. - Kuna