The Ministries of Health and Education are encouraging parents and guardians to register children with asthma on the 2026/27 Bermuda Student Asthma Registry.
The online registry supports local asthma healthcare providers, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education by helping them track students with asthma and ensure appropriate support is in place throughout the school year.
Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP, emphasized the importance of annual registration “Each September, we ask parents to take a few minutes to update their child’s information so we can give every student with asthma the very best support. A child’s health needs can change, and registering each year ensures our asthma specialists have the most accurate, up to date details. When we work together, we can help our students enjoy a healthy, confident, and active school year.”
The registry is a collaborative initiative of the Department of Education, the Department of Health, the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) Asthma Education Centre, and Open Airways, a Bermuda-registered charity. All information submitted is held in strict confidence.
“We want every student to feel confident and supported throughout the school year, and that includes making sure children with asthma have what they need to stay healthy and fully engaged in learning,” said Minister of Education, Diallo Rabain, JP, MP. ‘By registering, parents help us create safer, more responsive school environments where every child can thrive.”
“Students who have had asthma education and have discussed new guidelines with their doctors, have the best inhalers and are using optimal technique, should be able to participate in all school and sporting activities and should not need to be absent from school due to asthma!” said the Department of Health School Asthma Nurse, Debbie Barboza.
“An analysis of the 2025/26 information shows that there is still much work to be done to teach students, parents and teachers how to best keep students with asthma healthy.”
2025/26 Student Asthma Registry Findings
- 57% of students with asthma missed school days. A student with controlled asthma should not miss any days due to asthma.
- 29 students were admitted to the hospital for asthma-related concerns, and 22% (1 in 5) reported experiencing an asthma attack during the year.
- 43% of students were either using their spacer incorrectly or did not have one. Spacers help medication work more effectively and with fewer side effects.
- While 67% of students believed their asthma was “well-controlled,” more than half of those students still missed school — a clear sign their asthma was not well-controlled.
- Only 39% of all students surveyed actually had well-controlled asthma.
“Our collaborative team of health providers is working with the primary aim of ensuring every child with asthma receives the proper guidance and assistance they need to have a healthy and successful school year,” said Asthma & COPD Educator, Nicola MacDougall, from Open Airways.
If your child has asthma, or you suspect they might, please add their information to the 2026/27 Bermuda Student Asthma Registry today: https://bit.ly/2026BermudaStudentAsthmaRegistry
For further information, contact Nicola MacDougall at educ@openairways.com.
