Ebonyi VC warns of growing respiratory disease crisis in Africa

The Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Ebonyi, Prof. Jesse Uneke, has raised concern over the growing burden of respiratory diseases across Africa, including Nigeria, describing it as a pressing health challenge that requires urgent intervention.

Speaking on Wednesday during the inauguration of a major project at the Institute of Child Health (ICH) within Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Prof. Uneke emphasized that respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, asthma, and lung cancer continue to contribute significantly to both acute and chronic illnesses, as well as mortality on the continent.

Prof. Uneke, who also serves as the principal investigator for the project titled “Improving Equity in Respiratory Disease Outcomes Using Data-Driven Tools”, revealed that the initiative spans five African countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa. He disclosed that Ebonyi and Lagos States are the only Nigerian sites selected for the project.

“Respiratory diseases impose a heavy burden on health systems, and there remain large inequities in disease outcomes, especially among the poor who lack access to affordable, quality care,” he stated.

The project, according to Uneke, aims to address critical gaps in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of respiratory diseases by equipping health facilities with essential diagnostic equipment and offering free treatment to as many as 1,000 patients over four years in six health facilities across Ebonyi State.

Prof. Uneke further explained that the initiative would deploy advanced data-driven tools such as the Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST), the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI), and pilot the innovative “Pathways to Survival” (PATHS) tool to identify and address key barriers in healthcare delivery.

Also speaking at the event, Prof. Thecla Ezeonu, Director of the Institute of Child Health, applauded the initiative, highlighting the provision of new spirometers to assess lung function. She urged the hospital management to prioritize free lung function tests for children and adolescents exhibiting symptoms of asthma and other respiratory conditions.

“This project represents a significant step forward in improving respiratory health outcomes in Ebonyi and beyond,” Ezeonu remarked.