Diagnose just by listening: KGMU gets one-of-its-kind ‘cough clinic’

According to officials, the Association of Physicians of India (API), in collaboration with a health firm, Kenvue, declared the University’s Department of Respiratory Medicine as the first Centre of Excellence in India for Cough Management. It started two days ago.

According to Dr Surya Kant, Head of the Department, the idea of the clinic has been in the works for a while now. However, following the controversy over the cough syrup-linked deaths in Madhya Pradesh, he said the API secretary and president selected the respiratory department to open the clinic.

“My department was chosen as the first Centre of Excellence for Cough Management in India,” he added.

Officials said using the ‘Cough Categorisation Tool,’ doctors will learn to classify coughs as wet, dry, or multi-symptom and also identify red-flag signs and triggers. This, they said, will encourage treatment based on symptoms and help reduce unnecessary use of medicines.

It will also promote a scientific and systematic way to assess cough as it is the most common symptom of respiratory diseases.

As part of this initiative, special training sessions led by pulmonologists will be conducted. In these sessions, officials said, doctors will learn to recognise different cough sounds, make decisions based on real cases, and apply the latest medical knowledge in their every day practice.

Officials said the goal is to set up 10 ‘Cough Centres of Excellence’ for cough management across the country and train over 1,000 doctors within a year.

In recent years, respiratory diseases have been increasing rapidly in Lucknow and nearby districts owing to cold weather, fog, pollution, and poor air quality.

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