World Asthma Day 2025 Highlights Inhaler Access in Iloilo

1 of 4

World Asthma Day was celebrated at Iloilo Mission Hospital in collaboration with the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) Head Office, the Asthma Council, and the PCCP Iloilo Chapter, under the leadership of Dr. Rollin Tabuena, chairman for asthma.

Themed “Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for All,” this year’s campaign emphasized the urgent need to ensure essential asthma inhalers are available to everyone—regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status.

This advocacy aims to address one of the key barriers in asthma management, especially in resource-limited areas like many parts of the Philippines.

Joining Dr. Tabuena in this effort were renowned pulmonologists: Dr. Nani De Leon, Dr. Alexis Pollentes, Dr. Ma. Theresa Crisanta Lim-Anayan, Dr. Mary Bloom Be-up, and Dr. Fel Angelie Colon.

Together, they led educational sessions and community outreach focused on asthma awareness, diagnosis, and management.

A key feature of the event was a hands-on demonstration on spirometry, a vital breathing test that measures lung function.

Attended by medical residents, interns, and hospital staff, the session underscored spirometry’s importance in diagnosing and monitoring asthma.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition marked by airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, leading to symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, breathlessness, and chest tightness.

In the Philippines, adult asthma prevalence is estimated at 8 to 10 percent, making it a significant public health concern.

Limited access to diagnostic tools and medications remains a challenge for effective disease control.

This year’s World Asthma Day initiative in Iloilo calls for continued advocacy and action to address these gaps.

By making inhaled treatments more accessible, healthcare providers and policymakers can reduce asthma-related complications and improve the quality of life for millions.

Let’s work together to ensure everyone, everywhere, can breathe easier.