GENEVA (CONVERSEER) — The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the European Lung Foundation (ELF) applaud the adoption of a landmark resolution on “Promoting and prioritizing an integrated lung health approach” by WHO Member States at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA). This pivotal decision marks a significant step forward in addressing the global burden of respiratory diseases and advancing equitable, integrated care for lung health worldwide.
ERS and ELF, alongside many other organisations, have advocated for the adoption of this resolution which acknowledges that, in 2021 alone, communicable and noncommunicable lung diseases — including tuberculosis, pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer — accounted for over 18 million deaths globally. The resolution calls for urgent action to strengthen primary healthcare, reduce risk factors such as air pollution and tobacco use, and tackle stigma and inequities in access to diagnosis and treatment.
“This resolution is a long-overdue recognition of the critical role lung health plays in global health outcomes,” said Professor Silke Ryan, President of the European Respiratory Society. “It provides a comprehensive framework for governments to integrate lung health into national health strategies, ensuring that respiratory diseases receive the attention and resources they urgently require.”
ERS and ELF commend the resolution’s emphasis on:
- Strengthening primary care systems to deliver integrated services for both communicable and noncommunicable respiratory diseases.
- Addressing social and environmental determinants of lung health, including air pollution, occupational hazards, and poor living conditions.
- Enhancing prevention efforts through tobacco and vaping control, infection prevention, and radon exposure mitigation.
- Reducing stigma associated with diseases like COPD, tuberculosis, and lung cancer, which often hinders early diagnosis and treatment.
This resolution also speaks directly to the needs and experiences of patients and carers, whose voices have too often been left out of policymaking. ELF, working with patients and patient organisations across Europe, welcomes this commitment to a more inclusive and integrated approach to lung health.
“The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the vulnerability of our respiratory systems and the urgent need for resilient, equitable healthcare,” added Kjeld Hansen, member of the ERS Advocacy Council and member of the WHO Civil Society Commission, representing ELF, “This resolution is a vital step toward ensuring that lung health is no longer overlooked but is central to global health policy.”
ERS and ELF stand ready to support Member States in implementing this resolution through scientific expertise, public and patient engagement, policy guidance and collaboration with stakeholders across the health sector and through continued support to WHO. As a founding member of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), ERS is committed to advancing lung health through research, education, and advocacy.
