The Global Asthma Network was established in 2012 to improve asthma care globally, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, through enhanced surveillance, research collaboration, capacity building and access to quality-assured essential medicines.
The Network is a collaboration between individuals from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). The Global Asthma Network is built on the work achieved by the ISAAC programme 1991-2012. It operates on the same principle of collaborative and systematic application of standardised methodologies. The global asthma surveillance work pioneered by ISAAC merged with the activities that The Union has pursued over the years in field evaluation and research into the management of asthma; access to quality-assured, affordable essential asthma medicines; and operational research and capacity-building.
The Global Asthma Network followed on from the Global Asthma Report 2011, launched at the time of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in New York on 19–20 September 2011. Since then, GAN has published three state of the art Global Asthma Reports on 2014, 2018 and 2022. They are designed to engage the world Health Organisation, government ministers, policy-makers, health workers, patient groups, donors and media in efforts to improve asthma care globally.
The network has a Steering Group with expertise in respiratory health and epidemiology, chaired by Innes Asher (2012-2022) and since then co-chaired by Kevin Mortimer and Refiloe Masekela.
The Global Asthma Network strives for a world where no-one suffers from asthma. It is the asthma surveillance hub for the world, researches ways of reducing the burden of asthma, promotes access to appropriate asthma management, stimulates and encourages capacity building in low and middle income countries, strives to ensure global access to quality-assured essential medications, and raises the profile of asthma as a major NCD.
The Global Asthma Network is seeking funds to expand these activities. To contact the Global Asthma Network, email: info@globalasthmanetwork.org or see our contacts page.
The Global Asthma Network is delighted to introduce the Global Asthma Report (GAR): Patient Stories – an exciting special edition format for the GAR that gives people with asthma from around the world a platform to tell their stories. This is the fifth in our series of GARs published in 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2022
GAR: Patient Stories is published as a ‘living document’ on World Asthma Day 2025, timed to be available for the United Nations (UN) High Level Meeting (HLM) on NCDs. At the time of writing, it has 59 stories from 33 countries with representation from all World Health Organization (WHO) regions
These stories illuminate the lived realities of asthma and underscore the urgent need for global equity in asthma care—access to timely diagnosis, evidence-based treatment, education, and long-term support. Above all, they remind us that even in the darkest moments of breathlessness, families and individuals continue to hold on to a powerful thread of hope—believing in a better tomorrow and a life less burdened by asthma.
Our network has been targeted by an email scam. If you receive any unusual requests for assistance from any of the steering group members, please ignore it.
These emails are a common scam that has also targeted many other organisations. Please note we will never make any request for financial assistance from our collaborators. If you have any questions please contact us at info@globalasthmanetwork.org
All material © Global Asthma Network