In Mexico, between 23 and 25 thousand people die each year from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

SMNyCT and AstraZeneca join forces

LaSalud.mx .- According to the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (INER), one of the most common lung diseases in Mexico is the disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because it is currently located between the 6th and the 4th. of the annual mortality in the country, being the people over 45 most affected.

For this reason and in order to diagnose this disease in a timely manner, the Metepec Geriatric Care Clinic of the State of Mexico received the first spirometers as one of the commitments and activities flowing from the 39. Agreement signed with the Mexican Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SMNyCT) in support of the National Plan for Respiratory Diseases of the National Center for Prevention of Programs and Disease Control (CENAPRECE), which aims to establish and implement interventions to improve the prevention and control of these diseases.

The agreement, signed earlier this year, is based on four main pillars:

1. Medical Education and Certification, approved by the INER and aimed at health professionals to ensure better profiling, diagnosis and treatment of patients with COPD and asthma.

2. Diagnostic infrastructure for patients with COPD using spirometers for delivery to first- and second-level hospitals, in accordance with the provisions of the National Program for Respiratory Diseases.

3. Generation of evidence that facilitates decision-making to improve the management and control of these patients in health facilities, as well as to correctly assess the burden of disease in Mexico .

4. Awareness and Education on COPD, that helps to identify populations at risk and to raise awareness of the importance of a timely and correct diagnosis.

Dr. Gabriel J. O. Shea Cuevas, Secretary of Health of the State of Mexico, reported that "only in 2017, in this entity, 3,000 deaths occurred. been detected because of respiratory diseases, including COPD, asthma, bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. "For this reason, he thanked AstraZeneca for taking them into account as part of the program. signed agreement, "since one of the goals of the Edo Government of Mexico is to continue to work on health issues and to join the efforts of public and private entities to give better results for the benefit of the people. "In this regard, Sylvia Varela, President and CEO of AstraZeneca, said:" We are absolutely committed to the health of Mexicans, since this type of agreement helps patients to receive a timely diagnosis and at the same time the doctors can pre make better decisions about the patient's optimal approach. He also stressed the importance of being allies of institutions such as INER and SMNyCT to contribute to the strengthening, compliance and improvement of public health, as the Program The Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca International Region, Leon Wang, agreed with Sylvia Varela and stressed: "One of the main goals of the company is to achieve at the Mexico the number of centers certified to treat and diagnose diseases.The respiratory system should be sufficient to treat patients with COPD and asthma. "

On the other hand, In Mexico, between 21,000 and 23,000 people die each year from COPD and "it has been discovered that every year more women die from this disease than breast and cervical cancer," said Dr. Jesús Felipe González Roldan, Director General of CENAPRECE. For this reason, one of the main challenges for this disease is a rapid diagnosis because it is estimated that only 14 out of every 100 patients with COPD are diagnosed in time.