Ahead of World Asthma Day 2026, WHO has published a departmental news item featuring ongoing country-led initiatives in Nepal and Sri Lanka to integrate asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) services into primary health care.

The work, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, focuses on strengthening frontline respiratory care, including timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, inhaler-use support, follow-up, referral and patient education closer to communities.

The experience from Nepal and Sri Lanka is expected to generate operational learning for the South-East Asia Region, particularly on how existing noncommunicable disease programmes and service delivery platforms can be used to expand access to asthma and COPD care.