The initiative focuses on integrating respiratory services into primary healthcare to improve diagnosis and treatment access.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Primary Healthcare Integration: The World Health Organization (WHO) is integrating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) services into primary healthcare systems in Nepal and Sri Lanka to improve early identification and treatment.
- Regional Disease Burden: Chronic respiratory diseases account for approximately 12% of all deaths in the South-East Asia Region, affecting more than 104 million people.
- Operational Learning: The current phase of the project focuses on training frontline workers and testing practical service delivery models to inform future national scale-up efforts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the integration of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) services into primary healthcare (PHC) in Nepal and Sri Lanka. The initiative aims to strengthen frontline respiratory care and improve access to timely diagnosis and treatment, according to a news release from the WHO.
Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the project is part of a broader WHO effort to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and management of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). These conditions continue to place a significant burden on families, particularly in areas where diagnosis is delayed, access to inhaled treatment is inconsistent, and continuity of care is weak.
“The projects closely align with the integrated lung health approach endorsed by the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, which emphasizes stronger PHC, effective referral pathways and improved access to essential diagnostics, medicines and technologies,” said Sarah Rylance, lead for chronic respiratory diseases at WHO headquarters, in a news release.
A recent WHO report from the South-East Asia Region highlights the scale of CRDs and persistent gaps in primary care readiness, including limited availability of diagnostics and essential inhaled medicines. CRDs account for an estimated 12% of all deaths in the region, with more than 104 million people living with these conditions. In 2021, the region recorded approximately 1.56 million deaths related to CRDs.
In Nepal, the initiative supports national efforts to make asthma and COPD care more accessible by integrating services into existing noncommunicable disease (NCD) delivery platforms and strengthening frontline services.
“The CRD initiative is being implemented in Kavre District, building on the experience and lessons from the hypertension and diabetes care cascade initiative. The approach integrates asthma and COPD services into existing NCD and PHC structures through short training modules, job aids, locally adapted materials, supportive supervision and community engagement,” said Poma Thapa, NCD and mental health section chief, epidemiology and disease control division, department of health services, Nepal, in a news release.
In Sri Lanka, implementation is occurring in the Kandy and Kalutara districts through a model that emphasizes systematic screening, improved diagnosis, healthcare worker training, patient education, and stronger follow-up through Healthy Lifestyle Centres and other PHC settings.
“By integrating asthma and COPD care within PHC and focusing on equitable, people-centred service delivery, these initiatives demonstrate practical pathways for closing persistent gaps in respiratory care across the Region,” said Suman Rijal, director, department of health promotion, disease prevention and control, WHO regional office for South-East Asia, in a news release.
The experience gained in Nepal and Sri Lanka is expected to generate operational learning for the South-East Asia Region, specifically regarding how existing NCD programs can be leveraged to expand respiratory care. The next phase of the project will focus on frontline training and service delivery support to help healthcare workers provide integrated care closer to where patients live.
