Lagos - Nigeria has joined the international community to commemorate World Asthma Day.

The day, celebrated on the first Tuesday of May annually, raises awareness around the prevalent disease.

Among the organizations that have embarked on initiatives GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK), the pharmaceutical firm, and the Elias Nelson Oyedokun Foundation (ENOF), an asthma foundation.

They organized a market storm where they gave out information on the disease.

World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma awareness and care around the world.

The inaugural World Asthma Day was held in 1998.

Asthma may affect as many as 334 million people today and prevalence is rising.

In Nigeria, the prevalence of asthma ranges from 7 percent to 18 percent in the general population.