ASI calls for asthma treatment funds

PEOPLE with asthma could reduce the need for hospital treatment if the costs of treating the illness were reduced and more information about control was available, according to the Asthma Society of Ireland (ASI).

As the organisation marks World Asthma Day, it said it costs an average of €1,500 per year to treat each asthma sufferer.

"Asthma accounts for 80-100 deaths per year, 7,000 hospital admissions per year and 30,000 A&E admissions," chairperson of the ASI's medical committee, Dr Pat Manning, said.