Sandoz has launched “Breathe Africa,” a program designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in Zambia.

Sandoz today announced the launch of Breathe Africa, a respiratory health program aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of asthma through sharing medical expertise and donating medicines. The program will start in Zambia and will bring European doctors to work together with local healthcare professionals, ultimately improving diagnosis, treatment and respiratory health for patients.

“Zambia is ranked number one in the world for mortality due to asthma,” said Dr. Shabhir Lakhi, Head of Internal Medicine, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. “Therefore, we have a high unmet need for more effective asthma care. Our current standards are not in line with global best-practice. The Breathe Africa program will help Zambian doctors and nurses, as well as medical students, improve the health and quality of life of Zambians with asthma.”

“Our aim is to deliver real benefit to people with asthma and lay the foundation for better respiratory care in Zambia,” said Richard Francis, Global Head of Sandoz.  “There is a proven link between training healthcare professionals on chronic disease management and improvement in quality of care and health outcomes for patients, so we worked with Zambian institutions and leading asthma specialists to design a respiratory program with a special focus on education. That’s Breathe Africa.”

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