Help Put Lung Health On The Agenda Of Federal Leaders' Debate

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 24 Sep 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The Lung Association called on Canadians to help get lung health of the agenda at the 2008 English-language Leaders' Debate, slated for Thursday October 2nd.

Canadians are asked to email TVO's Steve Paikin - the moderator of the debate - at question@electiondebate08.ca and request that he ask the five major political party leaders:

"If elected, will you support funding for Canada's first national action plan on lung health - the National Lung Health Framework?"

The incidence of lung disease continues to rise in Canada - it is a leading cause of hospitalization and emergency room visits. Moreover, one Canadian dies every 20 minutes from lung disease. The human and economic costs of respiratory illness are unacceptable in an age where modern technology, innovation and best-practices should be guiding how we combat the impacts of lung disease.

Yet up until now, there has never been a coordinated plan to deal with this leading health issue.

The National Lung Health Framework is an ambitious project that aims to improve the respiratory health of all people living in Canada through collaborative and equitable patient care, policy, programming, research and leadership. It is a plan that brings together a range of approaches and strategies as the backbone to its success.

Once the National Lung Health Framework is fully implemented, Canadians will see lower instances of lung disease, reduced wait times, better coordination of resources, as well as improved prevention, screening, detection and management of all forms of respiratory illness.

Established in 1900, The Lung Association is one of Canada's oldest and most respected health charities, and the leading national organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs and advocacy on lung heath issues.

The Lung Association