The Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) was launched in Beijing yesterday.

The alliance is a global voluntary alliance of 41 national and international organizations focused on reducing the global disease burden of chronic respiratory diseases by integrating and strengthening surveillance, prevention and treatment efforts.

Currently, hundreds of millions of people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases, including 300 million people with asthma, 80 million people with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and millions of others with mild COPD, allergic rhinitis, and other chronic respiratory diseases, which are often undiagnosed.

WHO estimates that some 4 million people died of chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) in 2005 and that total deaths will increase by 30% in the next 10 years, if action is not taken now.

"The goal of GARD," says Professor Jean Bousquet, GARD chairman, "is to reduce the global burden of chronic respiratory diseases. As the prevalence and global burden of chronic respiratory diseases are expected to increase considerably in the near future, it is clear that immediate action is greatly needed and the cost for inaction is unacceptable."

The key objectives for GARD involve a comprehensive approach to fight
chronic respiratory diseases and in many cases will build on already existing
initiatives.

In China, an estimated 17% of all deaths are due to chronic respiratory diseases. "Rapid urbanization in China has contributed to the sharp rise in chronic disease risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, and
unhealthy diet.

By creating a supportive environment where healthy choices are easy and accessible, healthy life years will be added for individuals and the society at large," says Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to China.

WHO advocates an integrated approach to prevention and care for all leading chronic diseases. Integrated approaches that combine chronic respiratory diseases prevention and management with a similar approach for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic diseases are necessary because the diseases share common risk factors and require similar responses from the health system.