The Bangladesh Asthma Hajj Study

This project was based at the ARK Foundation in Bangladesh, in collaboration with the University of Malaya in Malaysia

Overview

Project title:  The Bangladesh Asthma Hajj Study

Acute or chronic:  Chronic

Based at:  ARK Foundation and University of Malaya

Start date:  1st August 2020

End date:  31st August 2021

Principal investigator:  Professor Dr Ee Ming Khoo

Project team: (Bangladesh) Dr Rumana Huque, Sushama Kanan, Silwa Lina, Professor Samir K Saha, Mohammad Shahidul Islam (Malaysia) Professor Dr Su May Liew, Dr Norita Hussein, Associate Professor Dr Nik Sherina Hanafi, Dr Ahmad Ihsan Abu Bakar, Associate Professor Dr Sazlina Shariff Ghazali, Associate Professor Dr Cheong Ai Theng, Dr Azah Abdul Samad, Dr Suhazeli Abdullah, (University of Edinburgh) Professor Hilary Pinnock

Background

The Hajj is a massive pilgrimage that occurs once a year, involving two to three million individuals from more than 180 countries. Every year, around 120,000 pilgrims from Bangladesh perform the Hajj.

One of the top causes of hospitalisation during the Hajj is acute asthma and its complications. One in five pilgrims with previously diagnosed asthma will present with an unscheduled attendance or hospitalisation during the Hajj.

All Hajj pilgrims attend a medical examination about three to four months before the pilgrimage at various centres located nationwide. This offers an opportunity to intervene, with proper assessment and management.

Aim and impact

Building on an initial study in Malaysia, this project is being undertaken in collaboration with the ARK Foundation in Bangladesh.

This study will focus on the current pre-Hajj medical check-up services and their management process in Bangladesh, and whether they provide an opportunity to manage the risk of asthma issues among Hajj pilgrims.

Limited research has been done on this issue in Bangladesh, and context-specific research is required to understand the public health challenges associated with Hajj and the existing barriers and opportunities in integrating any intervention. 

Project data

Download the project Data Management Plan

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