The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans, proudly partners with Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals to bring a COPD Screener Survey, a ground-breaking COPD screening tool, to fifty churches in Baltimore, Maryland starting November 15, 2011.  A press conference announcing this exciting program was held on Tuesday, November 15, at First Apostolic Faith Institutional Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

As a leader in the faith-based community, NBCI has undertaken the momentous mission of re-designing the paradigm of health education for African Americans.  As a result of over 20 years of experience and years of research on chronic diseases and racial disparities NBCI has created the Health Emergency Declaration (HED) Initiative, a seven year programmatic approach. NBCI is proud to partner with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a respected leader in the pharmaceutical industry — a company that prides itself in ‘value through innovation’.  This innovative spirit is what led them to a unique partnership with NBCI to reach the faith-based community to impart critical wellness information on a disease affecting Americans in epidemic proportions — COPD.

COPD, short for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a general term used to describe lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or both. Given that there is no cure for COPD, information on strategies, diagnosis, treatment and disease management becomes critical.  More than 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD, and it is estimated that another 12 million people likely have the disease but don’t even know it.  African Americans are disproportionally affected with COPD, especially African American men — 1,823 Maryland residents died from COPD in 2005, ranking the state the 27th highest in COPD mortality in the U.S.1 — underscoring the need for immediate action.

NBCI’s COPD Screening Survey responds to this need by identifying at risk individuals, educating participants on warning signs, screening for COPD symptoms, and providing educational resources for professional medical attention.

Rev. Anthony Evans, President of NBCI says, “NBCI is proud to announce the kick-off of this Health Emergency Declaration (HED) COPD Initiative in Baltimore, Maryland. The first stage of this initiative is to conduct a COPD Screening Survey in 50 churches in Baltimore, Maryland to cull necessary information from our congregants.  In the second stage, 12 churches will participate in a 12-week COPD Education Seminar — a more intensive program to reach those in the African American community affected by COPD.  Finally, we will conduct a Trainer-of-Trainers amongst health officials in Baltimore to properly diagnose and manage COPD.”

COPD Training and Educational Materials