The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust marked World Asthma Day 2026 by promoting access to anti-inflammatory inhalers as essential treatment for asthma patients.

Respiratory Nurse Specialist Kevin O’Brien, based at the Respiratory Hub in Ulster Hospital, stated that asthma requires proper management. He noted over 260 million people live with asthma globally and around 40 people die from it each year in Northern Ireland, with most deaths preventable using correct inhaler treatment.

O’Brien reported that 131,000 people in Northern Ireland have received an asthma diagnosis, affecting one in 16 adults and one in 11 children. He stressed the risk of a life-changing asthma attack every ten seconds.

Reliever inhalers only provide temporary airway relief and fail to address chronic inflammation, according to O’Brien. Anti-inflammatory inhalers target the root cause, reduce attacks and serve as life-saving care.

O’Brien encouraged patients to consult healthcare providers about using anti-inflammatory inhalers. He affirmed that the trust supports accurate diagnosis, condition education, medication selection and proper usage instruction.

Access to these inhalers remains critical regardless of location or financial means, O’Brien said.