Abstract
Asthma is a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and
middle-income countries (LMICs), which are predominantly located in
regions such as North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, South, Central, and
East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean, and certain
parts of Europe. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),
nearly 300 million individuals globally suffer from asthma. Data from
the GAN Phase I study indicates that approximately one in ten children
are asthmatic, with one in twenty experiencing severe asthma. Moreover,
in children, 40% in LMICs have poor asthma control, compared to 19.9%
in HICs.(1) It is estimated that 90% of the global burden of asthma is
borne by individuals in LMICs, where death rates due to asthma are also
the highest.(2) Also, in LMICs, children make up a larger proportion of
the population compared to higher-income nations, which results in a
correspondingly greater burden for those countries on health services
due to childhood diseases. Estimates suggest that high proportion of
asthma patients reside in LMICs, its prevalence over the past two
decades is only increasing or remaining high, and morbidity-mortality
rates associated with the condition are disproportionately higher
compared to its counterpart high-income countries (HICs). (3)