Marking World Asthma Day, the Metro Group of Hospitals Saturday launched a 'Metro Breathe Club' on its premises here to help create better understanding of the disease and its treatment.

Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease affecting 10-15 percent of the Indian population.

"The aim of World Asthma day is to enlighten and bring about awareness to asthmatics and the population at large by educational means," said Delhi Minister for Health and Social Welfare Yoganand Shastri at the inauguration, which was also attended by Delhi Finance Minister A.K. Walia.

A study conducted at the Metro Hospitals and Heart Institute over the last five years on the basis of 1,180 new asthmatic patients, revealed: "One-third of the patients, despite having the symptoms and undergoing medication for asthma, did not know that they were suffering from the same."

"Nearly 90 percent of the patients were labelled asthmatic without ever having undergone a lung function test, which is a standard and a must for diagnosis," the hospital study stated.

Set up by Purshotam Lal, Metro Group of Hospitals' chairman, the club will offer comprehensive asthma management to patients at Delhi, Noida, Faridabad and Meerut.

Along with a concession package for members, the club will have a 24-hour respiratory helpline (9868016254) to assist asthmatics in distress.