Asthma on the rise

There have been renewed calls to address gaps in asthma care. The Paediatric Society says Maori and Pasifika continue to have higher asthma diagnoses, hospitalisations and deaths. Paediatric respiratory specialist Phillip Pattemore said despite a steady decrease in diagnoses in children, asthma’s impacts are increasing. He said it appeared the amount of asthmarelated hospital admissions was rising.