Lucknow: In a significant recognition of his contribution to respiratory medicine, Dr. Suryakant, Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), has been nominated as a member of the Technical Expert Group (TEG) constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, for the development of National Guidelines on the Prevention and Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
According to an official order issued by the Ministry’s Non-Communicable Diseases Division, the expert panel comprises senior specialists from leading medical institutions and professional organizations across the country. The group has been tasked with formulating evidence-based and practical national guidelines aimed at improving the prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of COPD.
The proposed guidelines are expected to strengthen healthcare delivery for COPD patients across India and support a more standardized approach to disease management nationwide.
Speaking on the development, Dr. Suryakant highlighted the growing burden of COPD in India. He noted that an estimated 60 million people in the country suffer from the disease, while nearly 500,000 deaths are attributed to it annually. COPD is currently among the leading causes of mortality in India and continues to pose a major public health challenge.
Dr. Suryakant emphasized that the formulation of integrated national guidelines is essential for addressing the increasing prevalence of respiratory diseases and improving patient outcomes. He expressed confidence that the new guidelines would enhance the quality of treatment available to COPD patients and contribute significantly to reducing the disease burden.
Discussing risk factors associated with COPD, he pointed out that smoking remains the primary cause of the disease. However, he stressed that rising air pollution levels have emerged as a major contributor to respiratory illnesses. He also drew attention to indoor air pollution in rural areas, where smoke generated from traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, cow dung cakes, charcoal stoves, and mud chulhas continues to expose millions of people, particularly women, to harmful pollutants.
Additionally, occupational exposure to dust, smoke, and industrial pollutants in various professions has been identified as another significant factor contributing to the growing incidence of COPD in India.
Dr. Suryakant is widely recognized for his work in respiratory healthcare and medical education. He has authored a book on COPD and developed training modules on COPD and asthma for government doctors in Uttar Pradesh. Over the years, he has trained thousands of physicians from Uttar Pradesh and across the country in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of respiratory diseases.
He has also held leadership positions in several prestigious professional bodies, including the Indian Chest Society, the National College of Chest Physicians, and the Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology.
Congratulating him on the national appointment, Dr. Sonia Nityanand, Vice-Chancellor of KGMU, described the nomination as a matter of pride for both the university and Uttar Pradesh. She said the appointment reflects Dr. Suryakant’s expertise, dedication, and outstanding contributions to the field of respiratory medicine.
She added that his inclusion in the national expert group underscores KGMU’s growing role in shaping healthcare policy and advancing medical research at the national level. The university community, she said, takes immense pride in his achievement and wishes him success in this important national responsibility.
