The Union supported FIRS in celebrating the first ever World Lung Day, a day of advocacy for all those affected by, and working to end, respiratory disease.
The Union called for action against the global burden caused by respiratory diseases, which, without significant awareness-raising and improvement to the prevention and treatment of these diseases, pose a significant threat to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
FIRS published a report, The Global Impact of Respiratory Disease, urging better advocacy for lung health in order to convince policymakers and governments to scale up prevention and control programmes worldwide. And a Charter for Lung Health was launched, outlining principles such as the right to clean air and lung health for all.