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Do you have trouble breathing sometimes?
Constant shortness of breath or wheezing?
Are you or your child using an inhaler?
Does your child have a persistant cough?
Do you get a flu-like sickness more and more often?

Then you should attend the new Breathing Clinic at SANITAS

The Breathing/COPD Clinic is now held every Saturday morning from 9am
at SANITAS Mikocheni.

This is a cooperative clinic with SANITAS and Salama Pharmaceuticals.
The purpose of this clinic is to assist our doctors in achieving the most focused diagnosis for COPD, and to assist you/the patient in understanding your condition, how to take your treatments and get the optimum results for your daily life.

WHAT IS COPD ?

COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. This means any disease or condition that causes a permanent obstruction in your pulmonary airways.
Your pulmonary airways includes most of your respiratory system (see the picture to the left), from your lungs, your main airway, trachea, throat and even your nose.
Obstruction usually means some kind of blockage, usually because of mucus or build up in the airways, or constriction of the airways, making the airways shrink and allowing less air to move in and out at any one time.


This image shows how the thickening of the vessel walls and build up of mucus can reduce the capacity of the airway by half or more.

The most common types of COPD are Asthma, Emphysema and Bronchitis, sometimes you may have a combination of two or even three of these conditions which can make breathing a constant struggle.


This image shows how many COPD Conditions have over lapping symptoms.

WHAT CAUSES COPD?

The most common cause of COPD is cigarette smoking, but you may also develop COPD from persistent exposure to pollutants, industrial smoke or cooking smoke, breathing in industrial or natural dust for long periods, and persistent exposure to chemical fumes.

Emphysema is a disease that affects the capacity of the air pockets in your lungs, thereby reducing your breath capacity and contributing COPD symptoms, this is most often caused also by smoking or persistent exposure to some kind of pollutant.

Bronchitis is another symptom and cause of COPD, where the walls of your airways are inflamed and the lungs produce a lot of mucus which blocks up your airways. This is again most often caused by exposure to outside pollutants.

Asthma is another condition that is part of and contributes to COPD. Asthma is a constriction of the airways caused by more often sudden swelling or reaction to pollutants or an allergy substance, that causes the airways to constrict, sometimes quite severely which can even be fatal if not treated.

For more information on Asthma, COPD and respiratory conditions, you can try this website

HOW WILL THE CLINIC HELP?

The COPD Clinic technician is fully trained and knowledgeable in all of the symptoms and treatments for COPD.
If you /or the patient have already been diagnosed with a condition, they will be able to conduct some simple tests to monitor how you are managing your condition, so that your Physician/Paediatrician can review your progress.

The technician will be able to give you more information on your condition and explain anything you are not understanding, as well they can show you how to use any of the equipment you are required to use in the treatment of your condition.


If you /or the patient have not yet been diagnosed, the technician will work with your Physician/ Paediatrician to assist in the diagnosis by conducting some simple breathing tests, Peakflowmetry and Spirometry if required.

The technician can also take some more time illustrate how the condition affects you and how your treatment works so that you can get the best result.
The technician will also be available to you for any follow up advise that you need and you can attend the clinic any Saturday to ask any questions or be reminded of how to best your inhaler or seperator.

WHAT IS THE COST?

The cost is not extra from the normal consultation fee for your Physician or Paediatrician which at SANITAS is tsh 30,000.

You may use your health insurance card for this clinic. The tests conducted are a free service.

Come along this Saturday, we know this clinic will be of benefit to you.