Mayor inaugurates certificate course on COPD

Mayor Sovan Chatterjee on Friday inaugurated a certificate course for doctors of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to tackle Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma that are fast spreading in the city and its neighbourhood.

The KMC becomes the country's first civic body to train its doctors to tackle respiratory disorders in people. KMC has decided to open clinics in its borough offices where one can go and consult doctors free of cost.

The certificate course in management of COPD and asthma is a joint certificate programme by Public Health Foundation of India (PHIFI), Chest Research Foundation (CRF), Pune, and Narayana Health. Atin Ghosh, member, Mayor-in-Council (health) was also present at the function. With unflinching support from National Allergy Asthma Bronchitis Institute (NAABI), the course will train primary care physicians under KMC to provide better and modern treatment. According to a survey conducted by WHO, more than 100 million people in India suffer from COPD.

Sovan Chatterjee said as COPD is fast growing in the city, KMC, along with West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), is constantly monitoring the pollution level in the city as well as respiratory illness that are reported to KMC's hospitals. The physicians will be trained following the national and international guidelines.

Atin Ghosh further added that the KMC's health department said COPD is highly under-diagnosed and because of the delay, when the patients report to doctors, the disease already reaches an advanced stage. The course will help doctors to detect the disease early and will make treatment easier.

Dr Sandeep Bhalla, programme director, Training Centre for Control of Chronic Conditions and Injury (CCCI), PHFI said the new national health policy 2017 had called for creation of public health management cadres in all states to tackle malaria and dengue menace along with managing COPD and asthma.

Dr A G Ghosal added that respiratory diseases are no longer restricted to the elderly but are now being detected in an early age.

He advised those having COPD to quit smoking, practice breathing exercises, eat nutritious food and consult doctors for proper management of the disease.