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AstraZeneca And PrimaKu Encourage Parents To Conduct Early Asthma Diagnosis

AstraZeneca, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, commemorates World Asthma Day 2024 by reaffirming its commitment to improving lung health.

This year, the focus on respiratory health is particularly on early detection of asthma in preschool children.

One of the initiatives is the introduction of the website www.nafaslega.id, where parents can easily find various information about asthma symptoms and management in children, as well as the benefits of early asthma risk awareness.

"Our focus in dealing with asthma is the well-being of children. We are committed to ensuring effective asthma management and treatment, so that children can live their lives to the fullest. This includes educating parents to make the best decisions for their children's health," said EsraErkomay, President Director of AstraZeneca Indonesia, in a statement on Friday (7/6).

In commemorating World Asthma Day with the theme "Asthma Education Empowers," AstraZeneca Indonesia partners with PrimaKu, the official partner of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), to empower parents through education on recognizing asthma prediction in toddlers.

"The hope is that parents understand when to seek medical help for their children," said Esra.

During the educational talk show, Dr. Feddy, the Medical Director of AstraZeneca Indonesia, explained that early detection plays a crucial role in reducing the impact of asthma, especially in preschool children.

"By actively addressing various challenges related to asthma in this age group, parents and healthcare providers can identify and manage asthma symptoms as soon as possible," explained Feddy.

He shared the latest data from the Indonesian Health Survey 2023, which shows that the total number of asthma patients in Indonesia reached 877,531, with the highest numbers in West Java (156,977), East Java (130,683), and Central Java (118,184).

The 2023 Health Survey shows that the proportion of asthma relapse in the past 12 months remains high across different age groups. Children under 1 year old have a relapse rate of 53.5%, while those aged 1-4 years have a higher rate of 66%. Children aged 5-14 years face a relapse risk of 59.8%. Dr. Feddy explained this.

Dr. Madeleine RamdhaniJasin, the Head of Respirology UK IDAI DKI Jakarta, explained that besides medical history and physical examinations, there are also supporting examinations for diagnosing asthma in children.

One of them is the Pediatric Asthma Risk Score (PARS) prediction tool. Research shows that PARS is considered a simple, effective, and personalized prediction tool for estimating the risk of asthma in children.

HoerrySatrio, the Head of Corporate Affairs at AstraZeneca Indonesia, said that to assist parents, they have launched a series of educational initiatives aimed at increasing awareness of the signs and symptoms of asthma in preschool children.

These efforts include online information campaigns and collaborations with healthcare experts to facilitate early detection and intervention."With a focus on early detection, our aim is to encourage a proactive approach in managing asthma in preschool children, which will ultimately contribute to improved health outcomes and better quality of life," said Hoerry.

Meanwhile, ZaskiaAdya Mecca, who was present at the talk show, said that as parents, we should proactively ask the pediatrician for early screening through asthma and allergy risk tests to determine the level of asthma risk in children.