CALLS have been made to tackle the cost of medication for a potentially fatal disease with the huge bills for asthma treatment forcing Limerick parents to stop buying inhalers for their children.
There are 14,769 people in Limerick with asthma and one in ten of these is a child. 38,362 people are likely to develop it in their lifetime and one in five of these is a child.
According to research conducted by the Asthma Society of Ireland, many parents can’t afford the high cost of medication and are having to choose between essentials and buying inhalers.
Asthma is a condition which causes severe shortage of breath and in an attack can prove fatal.
Asthma medications (inhalers and tablets) range in cost from €8 to €80 per month, and the total cost would depend on the inhaler, the dosage strength and the frequency at which they are administered.
According to the Society survey, just over a quarter (26 per cent) of parents struggle with the cost of their child’s asthma medications.
Five per cent said they have forgone buying their child’s asthma medications as they couldn’t afford the medication or device; another five per cent had forgone buying their child’s medication because they could not afford to pay for the cost of a new prescription.
A further 16 per cent of parents/guardians reported having had to forgo other essential items in order to purchase their children’s asthma medications.
“Rationing or forgoing asthma medication can lead to serious exacerbation of symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and breathlessness, and, indeed, can escalate to a dangerous asthma attack,” according to the Asthma Society
A spokesperson said: “The Society has been calling for the inclusion of asthma medications on the Long-term Illness Scheme since the organisation’s inception in 1973, but successive governments have refused to update the Scheme.
“The government must, at a minimum, fulfil its commitment to review the Scheme under the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy, including conducting a public consultation on the matter.”
If parents have concerns, they can contact the Asthma Adviceline for a nurse appointment by calling 1800 44 54 64 or the Sláintecare funded, Beating Breathlessness WhatsApp messaging service 086 059 0132.
