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The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has recently organised a training workshop for around 90 health service providers from the Primary Health Care Corporation working in government schools, to strengthen their readiness to manage asthma cases within the school environment and equip them with the skills required to apply internationally recognised best health practices.MOPH's Director of the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Programmes Department Sheikh Dr. Mohamed bin Hamad Al-Thani stressed the importance of the Asthma-Friendly Schools Programme in enhancing student health and ensuring a safe educational environment for students with asthma.He pointed out that the integration of efforts between the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Primary Health Care Corporation and Hamad Medical Corporation constitutes a foundation for strengthening the quality of healthcare services provided in schools.He noted that MOPH has achieved, over recent years, remarkable national accomplishments in raising awareness of asthma through large-scale activities organised on World Asthma Day, including media campaigns targeting the public, awareness workshops for the school community, and training programmes for school health staff.These efforts contribute to promoting an accurate understanding of asthma, enabling students, their families and teachers to manage the condition safely and effectively, and reducing asthma attacks within the school environment, positively reflecting on students’ health and academic progress.The Director of the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Programmes Department also praised the major role of the Primary Health Care Corporation in implementing the Asthma-Friendly Schools Programme by providing school health staff, offering continuous training, following up students with asthma, and connecting them to essential health services.Hamad Medical Corporation also participates in the programme through its clinical expertise and advanced specialities by developing the national guidelines for asthma management, providing specialised technical training to healthcare personnel, supporting rapid intervention mechanisms for emergency cases, and enhancing the preparedness of the health system to deal with asthma complications.In her remarks during the workshop, Supervisor of the Asthma-Friendly Schools Programme, Dr. Maya Al Shaiba stated that implementing the programme across all government schools reflects Qatar’s commitment to providing a supportive and safe school environment for students with asthma. She also praised the efforts of school health staff and their significant role in improving the quality of services provided to students.The "Asthma-Friendly Schools" Programme is one of the national initiatives aimed at reducing absenteeism among students with asthma, strengthening health preparedness within schools, supporting students in managing their health condition, raising health awareness among students and their families, and reinforcing the partnership between families, schools, and the health sector. 

A joint scientific study conducted by researchers at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, in collaboration with Imperial College London, the University of Otago, Starship Children's Hospital, and the University of Auckland, has revealed a new treatment for childhood asthma. The study, conducted using a dual anti-inflammatory inhaler that combines two medications, significantly reduces asthma attacks in children compared to the current standard medication, without any additional side effects. 360 children from across New Zealand were randomly assigned to use either the dual inhaler or salbutamol when needed to relieve asthma symptoms. The study lasted for a full year, and found that the dual inhaler did not cause any differences in children's growth, lung function, or asthma control compared to the standard medication, confirming its safety. Results also showed that the inhaler combining an inhaled corticosteroid (budesonide) and a rapid-acting bronchodilator (formoterol) reduced asthma attacks by 45% compared to salbutamol, currently used as a first-line treatment. Furthermore, the attack rate in children who used the combined device was 0.23 attacks per year per participant, compared to 0.41 attacks in the salbutamol group. This means that for every 100 children with mild asthma, the number of asthma attacks could be reduced by 18 per year. Dr Lee Hatter, lead author of the study, said that this study is an important step in bridging the knowledge gap between asthma treatment methods in adults and children. It has been demonstrated, for the first time, that the combined device significantly reduces asthma attacks in children with mild asthma, which could improve asthma treatment outcomes globally. The study's findings conclude that asthma is a serious chronic disease in children that can be life-threatening. Therefore, reducing the frequency and severity of asthma attacks is a vital medical goal. This study provides strong evidence for updating pediatric asthma treatment guidelines globally, in line with adult guidelines. This could benefit millions of children worldwide with mild and moderate asthma.