Asthma Care Gaps Put Millions at Risk as WHO Calls for Safer Treatment

The World Health Organization is drawing attention to these needs through World Patient Safety Day 2026, under the theme 'Safe care for noncommunicable diseases'.

For people living with asthma, safe care depends on what happens between medical appointments as much as the treatment they receive during an emergency. Having an effective inhaler, understanding its purpose and knowing what to do when breathing becomes difficult are everyday needs that can shape whether the condition stays controlled or develops into a severe attack.

The World Health Organization is drawing attention to these needs through World Patient Safety Day 2026, under the theme 'Safe care for noncommunicable diseases'. Asthma affected an estimated 363 million people in 2023 and caused 442,000 deaths, with most deaths occurring in low- and lower-middle-income countries where missed diagnoses and inadequate treatment remain common. Effective medicines exist, but too many people cannot obtain them or receive the support needed to use them correctly.

Symptom Relief Does Not Tell the Whole Story

A central concern in asthma care is the emphasis on easing breathing difficulties without adequately treating the inflammation inside the airways. Bronchodilator or reliever inhalers open narrowed airways and provide relief, but frequent reliance on these medicines can signal poor asthma control. Overuse of reliever inhalers has been associated with more asthma attacks and a higher risk of death, making regular treatment reviews an important part of safer care.

Inhaled corticosteroids reduce airway inflammation and lower the risk of severe attacks and asthma-related death, giving them an important role beyond immediate symptom relief. Their underuse can leave inflammation untreated, increasing the likelihood of recurring symptoms and severe flare-ups that require repeated courses of steroid tablets. Those tablets can cause adverse effects over time, adding another reason to improve access to appropriate ongoing treatment.

Effective Inhalers Remain Out of Reach

The medicines available at a local clinic can determine what a health worker prescribes and whether a person can follow their treatment plan. WHO reported in 2023 that bronchodilator inhalers were available in public primary health care facilities in fewer than two-thirds of low- and lower-middle-income countries, and steroid inhalers were available in fewer than half. Cost creates another barrier for families, even in places where the medicines can be found.

Some settings continue to use outdated or inappropriate treatments, including oral or intravenous medicines in place of inhaled therapies. Findings from the Global Asthma Network survey underline the scale of the treatment gap: between 45% and 60% of people with severe asthma symptoms, depending on their age group, were not taking inhaled corticosteroids, with larger gaps in lower-income settings. Professor Refiloe Masekela, the network's co-chair, stressed that effective medicines must be accessible and used correctly to improve symptoms and reduce attacks.

Patients Need Clear Advice and Continuing Care

An inhaler prescription cannot answer every question a person faces at home, particularly when symptoms change, or treatment feels confusing. Health workers need to explain what each medicine does, demonstrate inhaler technique, review symptom control and help people recognise when they need further care. Andrea Jensen, who lives with asthma, described the importance of understanding her inhalers, knowing how to respond when her condition worsens and being able to ask questions and participate in treatment decisions.

WHO's patient safety campaign places shared decision-making, correct use of medicines and devices, continuity of care and follow-up after severe asthma attacks at the centre of its call for action. The organisation is developing updated asthma guidance for primary care, scheduled for publication in early 2027, to strengthen care based on evidence and reduce avoidable harm. Closing the distance between effective treatment and everyday access will require dependable medicine supplies and continuing support that helps people manage asthma with greater confidence.