Fears over number of deaths from respiratory disease

IRELAND has the second highest number of deaths in Europe from respiratory disease, a report revealed yesterday.

Illnesses and conditions such as lung cancer, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and asthma are responsible for one in five deaths.

And treating the diseases costs the health service more than €437 million a year.

According to the Irish Thoracic Society’s Inhale report the poor record is second only to the former Soviet state of Kyrgyzstan.

Dr JJ Gilmartin, president of the Irish Thoracic Society, said decisive action is needed to tackle the diseases.

“The Irish Thoracic Society is calling for an integrated and adequately resourced respiratory strategy,” he said.

“We believe that this should be underpinned by strong linkages between hospital, community and primary care. We believe this to be the best way forward for our patients.

“Without it is likely that when we report again in five years’ time the picture will be no better, if not worse. For the sake of our patients, we must ensure this is not the case.”

The society’s report found death rates from respiratory disease are almost twice the European Union average.

It said deaths from respiratory disease have overtaken those from coronary heart disease while lung cancer deaths in women are nearing breast cancer levels and the gap between these two diseases has narrowed by two-thirds. Rather than see an improvement since the first Inhale report five years ago the society found survival rates for lung cancer are very low and the record in tackling lung disease has fallen.

Asthma is now the most common chronic childhood disease.

Jan O’Sullivan, Labour Party health spokeswoman, backed calls for a national strategy to deal with the level of respiratory illnesses.

“It is clear that social inequality is a more significant factor in respiratory deaths than in any other disease,” she said.

“According to previous research almost 300 respiratory deaths a year are caused by poor housing conditions, and that is something that can and should be addressed by central government and by housing authorities around the country.”

Dr Neil Brennan, author of the report, said death rates and prevalence are rising or are higher than they should be.

“Respiratory disease is a major cause of death and diminished quality of life is responsible for the suffering of tens of thousands of Irish citizens each year,” said Dr Brennan.

“The resources to effectively prevent, diagnose and treat these diseases are inadequate.”