WESTERN BUREAU:

Nineteen year-old Ash-ley Anguin has suffered from life-threatening asthma since birth. On many trips to the Accident and Emergency unit at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), she felt as if she she would die.

"When I am having an attack my throat hurts, my breath shortens, then there is coughing and wheezing," Anguin said.

Anguin and thousands of other asthma sufferers will get relief from local pharmaceutical company, Indies Pharma's 'Freedom From Asthma is Just a Breath Away' programme at the CRH pharmacy.

Preventing attacks

On Tuesday, the hospital was the recipient of $1.5 million worth of Salmetide Inhaler, which is used for long-term control of asthma by preventing recurrent attacks.

CRH is one of four hospitals in western and north-central Jamaica to receive donations of medication amounting to $3.5 million from the pharmaceutical company, since January. The others are Falmouth, Savanna-la-Mar and St Ann's Bay.

"We want to do something every year which will help the average Jamaican who is struggling to purchase highly expensive drugs.

"This year, the focus is on bronchial asthma, because we want to ensure more productivity in the workplace, as fewer people will be going off on sick leave, and even the economy will be impacted in a positive way," Dr Guna Muppuri, president and CEO of Indies Pharma told journalists during the handover ceremony.

More affordable

Muppuri said the medication was even more affordable to National Health Fund members.

Heartened by the gesture, Yvonne Amair, the hospital's chief pharmacist, said the donation was quite significant, because Salmetide was a very useful drug in the treatment of asthma patients.

"We have not been stocking this particular drug. However, with the asthma medication turnover being so fast, it will definitely go a long way," Amair explained.

Research has shown that the depletion rate is high for asthma medication and many patients have to fork out lots of money at private entities.

"It is very expensive to purchase medication, which is literally my lifesaving device, but I have not had an attack in two years, since I started using an anti-inflammatory treatment," Anguin said.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com