Chronic respiratory diseases
The aim of the WHO chronic respiratory diseases programme is to support Member States in their efforts to reduce the toll of morbidity, disability and premature mortality related to chronic respiratory diseases, and specifically, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Programme objectives
- Better surveillance to map the magnitude of Chronic Respiratory Diseases and analyse their determinants with particular reference to poor and disadvantaged populations, and to monitor future trends.
- Primary prevention to reduce the level of exposure of individuals and populations to common risk factors, particularly tobacco, poor nutrition, frequent lower respiratory infections during childhood, and environmental air pollution (indoor , outdoor, and occupational).
- Secondary and tertiary prevention to strengthen health care for people with Chronic Respiratory Diseases by identifying cost-effective interventions, upgrading standards and accessibility of care at different levels of the health care system.
KEY DOCUMENTS
- WHO strategy for prevention and control of chronic respiratory diseases [pdf 113kb]
- Implementation of the WHO strategy for prevention and control of chronic respiratory diseases [pdf 59k]
OTHER RELATED PUBLICATIONS
- Prevention of allergy and allergic asthma [pdf 376kb]
- WHO consultation on the development of a comprehensive approach for the prevention and control of chronic respiratory diseases [pdf 1,120kb]
- Genetics and Asthma
Contact us
If you need any further information please contact us at:
World Health Organization
Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion (CHP)
Chronic Respiratory Diseases and Arthritis (CRA)
20 Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
chronicdiseases@who.int