Expert Cautions Asthma Patients On Generator Fumes

Asthmatics have been be cautioned on the use of power generating sets as the fumes could set off  asthmatic attack.

Chairman of the Nigeria Society for Asthmatics, University College Hospital (UCH) branch, Dr Olusoji Ige, who gave the warning at the celebration of this year’s World Asthma Day (WAD) also charged asthmatics to identify their allergies and figure out ways to avoid.

Dr Ige, a chest expert, said it was possible to perfectly control asthma if asthmatics would adhere to positive habits.

He charged them to avail themselves of the opportunity of joining an asthma club to get benefits such as self-care education, counselling, and support, saying, “every members of the society has a card that contains the diagnosis, drugs/treatments, drugs necessary during emergency or attacks, physicians telephone numbers and other details. According to him, this ensures adequate care in case of an emergency.”

Another chest expert, Dr Bumi Ogunde in a lecture observed that one of the commonest reasons for asthma attack in Nigeria was cockroach infestation and advised against untidines, house dust, molds, animal furs and tobacco smoke. He maintained that these were common factors that triggering attack.

She noted that asthmatics have very sensitive airways, adding that the disease is charactersis by wheezing, coughing and congestions as well as running nose.

She stated that inhaled medications were the preferred treatment options because the drug is delivered directly to where it is needed  and has very little side effect. She encouraged sufferers to learn proper use of inhalers and to always carry one to reduce the frequency of attacks.

Tonye Nria-Dappa