Members' Business — S6M-14806 Marie McNair: World COPD Day

That the Parliament recognises that 20 November 2024 is World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day, with this year's theme being Know Your Lung Function; understands that the day takes place to raise awareness of COPD and how to spot the symptoms, which include shortness of breath, a persistent chesty cough with phlegm, frequent chest infections and persistent wheezing; further understands that this lung disease causes restricted airflow and breathing problems and that it is a condition that most commonly affects people who smoke or have smoked, those who have been exposed to dust fumes or chemicals in work, and those who had chest trouble or asthma in childhood; notes with concern that, currently, the condition is estimated to affect over 140,000 people in Scotland who have had a diagnosis and that tens of thousands are living without a proper diagnosis; understands the importance of the five fundamentals of COPD care, which are smoking cessation advice, flu and pneumococcal vaccines, access to pulmonary rehabilitation, co-development of a self-management plan and treatment for co-morbidities; welcomes the work of groups such as Asthma + Lung Scotland, which provides advice and support to people living with COPD, and commends community groups, such as the Clydebank Asbestos Group, which provide support to people living with asbestos-related illnesses, which can include COPD.