The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) has created a charter to recognize September 25th as World Lung Day. The purpose of the charter is to draw attention to the global issue of respiratory health and the increasing challenges that individuals with respiratory complications face worldwide. The charter addresses environmental pollution and air quality, access to healthcare and education, and more. Join others from across the globe by signing the charter and show your commitment to improving global lung health.
Respiratory diseases are often not recognized as the major problem they are:
- More than 65 million people suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD, sometimes known as emphysema or chronic bronchitis) and 3 million die each year, making it the third leading cause of death worldwide?and the numbers are increasing.
- About 334 million people suffer from asthma, making the most common chronic disease of childhood It affects 14% of children globally?and rising.
- The most common lethal neoplasm in the world is lung cancer. It kills 1.6 million people each year?and again, those numbers are growing.
- For decades, pneumonia has been among the top three causes of death and disability among both children and adults.
- In 2015, 10.4 million people developed tuberculosis?and 1.4 million people died from it.
- At least 2 billion people are exposed to toxic indoor smoke; 1 billion inhale polluted air outside, and 1 billion are exposed to tobacco smoke.
- Four million people die prematurely every year from other chronic respiratory diseases.
Fortunately, most respiratory diseases are PREVENTABLE by improving the quality of the air. Common sources of unhealthy air are tobacco smoke, indoor and outdoor air pollution, and air containing microbes, toxic particles, fumes, or allergens.
Join us in reducing tobacco consumption, controlling unhealthy air especially in the workplace, and strengthening immunization programs as important first steps. By signing this petition, you are indicating your support for the Charter for Lung Health, a document designed to address these issues. We are aiming for 100,000 signatories from around the world!
Everyone has the right to breathe clean air and to have healthy lungs.
Read the full Charter for Lung Health here and add your name to show support.
FIRS is comprised of several international respiratory societies, including FSR’s affiliate organizations American Thoracic Society and American College of Chest Physicians.