There are two million asthma patients in the Kingdom, according to Dr. Tawfeeq Khoja, Director of the Executive Council of GCC Health Ministers, who is also the National Coordinator of the National Scientific Committee for Diagnosis and Treatment of Chest Allergies. Dr. Khoja's remark came on the eve of Saudi Arabia's joining of the world on Saturday in observing the Chest Allergy Day, under the motto “how you can fully control allergies.” A survey by the Saudi Ministry of Health showed that between 10 and 20 percent of school children in the Kingdom are suffering from chest allergy diseases. The survey showed that Taif is the most affected area, with chest allergy diseases reaching an alarming 23 percent. Second is Hail with 22 percent, Jizan third with 21 percent, followed by Qassim at 16 percent, Jeddah with 12 percent. The lowest is the Eastern Region with 10 percent. Khoja said the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Allergies Association have defined a package of targets to achieve this year, on top of which is to reduce mortality rates caused by chest allergy diseases by 50 percent, as well as cutting admissions to hospitals among children at least by 25 percent “A third goal is to reduce absence days in schools because of the disease to 50 percent,” he said. “This reflects the important role families and primary health care centers play in controlling and combating the disease.” Saudi Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Manae will open a national program to fully control chest allergies by the year 2020 at the Marriott Hotel in Riyadh on Saturday. Dr. Khaled Bin Abdurrahamn, Director General of medical nursing at the ministry, said the ministry has selected May to be the month for controlling chest allergies every year to coincide with the Kingdom's celebrations of the World Allergies Day. He also revealed a plan to open 40 clinics that would specialize in the treatment of chest allergy diseases all over the Kingdom before the end of this year. Khoja said that within a scientific seminar that would be held in association with the day, the Kingdom would announce the Riyadh Declaration for the Control of the Disease in 2020. – Okaz __
