Lucknow– King George’s Medical University (KGMU) observed World Physiotherapy Day with a special focus on pulmonary rehabilitation and its role in improving respiratory health.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Suryakant, Head of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Centre (PRC), informed that Uttar Pradesh’s first PRC is being successfully run in the Department of Respiratory Medicine at KGMU. The center provides physiotherapy to patients with lung diseases, helping increase their lung capacity and enabling them to perform daily activities without breathlessness.
He highlighted that the facility is entirely free for patients, offering both offline and online services. “No prescription, no discussion, no expense – the service is completely free at the Department of Respiratory Medicine,” he remarked, adding that over 2,000 patients have already benefitted from this initiative.
The program was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sonia Nityanand, Padma Shri awardee, who lauded the PRC’s achievements. She noted that even the NAAC team had praised the center for its innovative healthcare model. Extending her congratulations to Dr. Suryakant and his team, she announced that from now on, a two-week training in pulmonary physiotherapy will be mandatory for physiotherapy students.
Dean of Paramedical Sciences, Dr. K.K. Singh, further confirmed that the directive would soon be officially implemented. Dr. Ankit Kumar, Co-incharge of PRC, explained that the training will include practical exercises aimed at enhancing lung capacity in patients with respiratory ailments.
The event also featured expert lectures: Dr. Ajay Kumar Verma, Head of Pulmonary Medicine at RMLIMS, spoke on the role of pulmonary care in healthy living, while Dr. Poonam Tiwari from RML emphasized the importance of nutrition in respiratory health.
The PRC team currently comprises Dr. Shivam Srivastava, Dr. Prakriti Mishra, Divyani Gupta, and Pawan Kumar Pandey. Other dignitaries present included Dr. R.A.S. Kushwaha, Dr. Darshan K. Bajaj, Dr. Anand Srivastava, Dr. Jyoti Bajpai, Dr. Minakshi Tiwari, and Dr. Bandana Chakraborty from the Centre for Advanced Research.
Sharing their insights were also Dr. Nisha Mani Pandey, Dr. Arvind Kumar, Dr. Vivek Gupta, Dr. Abhishek Arya, Hindi Institute’s Vice Dean of Paramedical Sciences Dr. Subiya Hassan, and Dr. Anjali Agarwal, Physiotherapist at Saifai Medical College.
The event drew participation from over 200 doctors, physiotherapists, and physiotherapy students, underscoring the importance of pulmonary rehabilitation in modern healthcare.
