The Health Policy Partnership has published new resources to highlight the growing burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and wider chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs).
The resources highlight the burden placed on people and health systems by these respiratory conditions and show how policy can be driven forward to improve the lives of people with COPD and CRD.
On behalf of the Speak up for COPD coalition, HPP has developed a video that draws attention to the experiences of people living with COPD and the impact it has on their daily lives.
The third leading cause of death worldwide, COPD is estimated to affect nearly 400 million people across the globe. Yet the condition remains poorly understood and under-prioritised by policymakers. The video calls for greater political recognition alongside improved access to treatment and care to better support people living with the condition.
COPD is one of the most common CRDs, alongside asthma and other conditions. Grouped together, CRDs are the world’s third most common non-communicable disease, yet they receive comparatively little research funding relative to their impact. Without intervention, CRDs are expected to cost the global economy $50 trillion by 2050.
As part of ongoing work in this area, HPP has produced an infographic highlighting four key areas in which policymakers can proactively support people with CRDs.
Targeting these areas can help policymakers further build more resilient and sustainable health systems while delivering on global health policy priorities, reducing health inequalities and mitigating the impact of climate change on respiratory health. The actions outlined in the infographic are aligned with those set out by the International Respiratory Coalition.
We look forward to engaging further with the respiratory health community and advocating for greater policy focus on respiratory conditions including, COPD, severe asthma and CRDs more broadly.
View the infographic
