BNH Hospital, AstraZeneca to collaborate on asthma care

This alliance aims to enhance the quality of life for Thai children and safeguard them against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), underscoring a commitment to multidisciplinary care of the highest calibre. 

The company’s president Roman Ramos said the collaboration paves the way for groundbreaking innovations, such as precise severe-asthma care and immunisation against the virus.

“The primary aim of this collaborative framework is to foster a comprehensive understanding of respiratory health, beginning with the implementation of treatment protocols and disease prevention strategies,” he said.

“This focus extends to ensuring meticulous attention and support from the initial counselling session onward, reflecting the commitment to achieving optimal patient outcomes.”

Meanwhile, BNH Hospital director Nopparat Panthongwiriyakul noted that lower respiratory-tract infections attributed to the RSV stand as the foremost cause of hospitalisations among infants in their first year of life. The number of patients reaches its peak during the rainy season from June to October, he pointed out.

“The correlation between RSV infection during infancy and the subsequent onset of childhood asthma underscores the critical importance of early intervention,” he said. 

“Our efforts are strategically aimed at mitigating this risk, as evidenced by the marked reduction in asthma prevalence among children who evade RSV infection in their first year.”

He said AstraZeneca and BNH plan to provide care for patients of all ages with comprehensive services and medical expertise, particularly in maternal and child health care.

Additionally, the integration of new innovations in the treatment of severe asthma through individualised assessment ensures more accurate treatment for each patient, he said.

Danger of RSV infection

Even though RSV causes patients to develop flu-like symptoms, it could trigger risk of fatality, BNH Hospital’s allergy and asthma specialist Orapan Pochanukoon warned.

“According to the World Life Expectancy website, the virus killed 4,000 Thai people last year,” she said, adding that people of all ages could be at risk of RSV infection, especially children aged below five years.

People who have been infected with the virus could develop coughs, sneezing and a runny nose. However, patients’ symptoms could be more severe if they have diseases such as asthma, sinus infection or difficulty breathing, she explained.

Orapan confirmed that precise and comprehensive treatment is necessary for RSV patients because they often developed various symptoms at the same time.

To protect themselves from virus infection, she advised people to pay attention to a lifestyle that is supportive to good health, which includes eating clean foods, taking exercise regularly, living in a good environment and ensuring that they are in a good mood.