AstraZeneca Ghana, an off-shoot of AstraZeneca Global, a biopharmaceutical entity under its Africa PUMUA Initiative, has donated four Nebulizer machines to the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH).

Nebulizers are drug delivery devices used to administer medication in the form of mist inhaled into the lungs to treat respiratory disorders such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, and other diseases in infants and adults.

The devices were installed at the Paediatrics, Accident and Emergency departments of the HTH.

Mr Mawuli Atiemo, the Country Lead, AstraZeneca Ghana, said the global outfit launched the Africa PUMUA (Swahili word meaning 'Breathe') initiative as part of collective commitment to sustainable health accessibility, improved acceptability, and affordability of quality asthma care in Africa.

He said the initiative, through its partnerships, was to address the barriers currently preventing access to care for asthma patients.

"We strengthen local medical knowledge and expertise including infrastructure believing that we can redefine asthma care in the country," he said.

"People living with asthma should have the ability to lead normal lives and, therefore, deserve better care," he said, adding that the initiative would reach out to all teaching hospitals in the country and forge future collaborations with other health establishments.

May 5, every year, has been dedicated globally to increasing awareness on asthma disorders. This year's Asthma Day was held on the theme: "Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions."

Dr John Tampuori, the Acting Chief Executive of the HTH, commended AstraZenaca for the gesture and said training of the nurses was as crucial as the availability of the life-saving equipment to the facility, which would also benefit the Oti Region and beyond.

Prior to the donation, Dr William Obeng, a Paediatrics Consultant from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, took the nurses through the nuances in asthma technology and management and how to effectively apply the equipment to derive its full benefits.

He said asthma was a chronic condition that affected the airways, causing wheezing and difficulty in breathing, which could develop at any age and triggered by allergen, irritant, virus, hormonal factors, obesity, stress and smoking.

Nurses who participated in the training said it had sharpened their understanding of the disease that would enable them to deliver better care to patients.