Improving paediatric asthma care in Zambia

Somwe Wa Somwe, Emilia Jumbe-Marsden, Kondwelani Mateyo, Mutale Nsakashalo Senkwe, Maria Sotomayor-Ruiz, John Musuku, Joan B Soriano, Julio Ancochea, Mark C Fishman

In 2008, the prevalence of paediatric asthma in Zambia was unknown and the national treatment guideline was outdated. We created an international partnership between Zambian clinicians, the Zambian Government and a pharmaceutical company to address shortcomings in asthma treatment. We did two studies, one to estimate prevalence in the capital of Lusaka and one to assess attitudes and practices of patients. Based on the information obtained, we educated health workers and the public. The information from the studies was also used to modernize government policy for paediatric asthma management. The health-care system in Zambia is primarily focused on acute care delivery with a focus on infectious diseases. Comprehensive services for noncommunicable diseases are lacking. Asthma management relies on treatment of acute exacerbations instead of disease control. Seven percent of children surveyed had asthma (255/3911). Of the 120 patients interviewed, most (82/120, 68%) used oral short-acting β2-agonists for symptom control; almost half (59/120, 49%) did not think the symptoms were preventable and 43% (52/120) thought inhalers were addictive. These misconceptions informed broad-based educational programmes. We used a train-the-trainer model to educate health-care workers and ran public awareness campaigns. Access to inhalers was increased and the Zambian standard treatment guideline for paediatric asthma was revised to include steroid inhalers as a control treatment. Joint activities were required to change paediatric asthma care in Zambia. Success will depend on local sustainability, and it may be necessary to shift resources to mirror the disease burden.