Question : Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the second most common cause of death in the country after heart disease;
(b) whether Government is giving any attention to this disease in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has initiated any awareness programme about the disease, if so, the details thereof;
(d) the number of people suffering from COPD and the states where it is most prevalent along with number of patients who have been given treatment/treated and patients died during each of the last three years;
(e) whether the Government has launched a national programme for prevention and control of COPD and if so, the details thereof and the achievement made thereunder since its inception; and
(f) the other preventive measures taken to make available affordable drugs/treatment to the low income/ poor people of the country for COPD?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (f): According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study titled “India: Health of the Nation’s States” published by ICMR in November, 2017, Chronic Respiratory Diseases, which includes COPD, accounted for 10.9% of total death and 6.4% of total Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY). As per an article published in Lancet journal in 2018, the number of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) cases in India was estimated to be 55.3 million in 2016. Crude prevalence of COPD was estimated to be high in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir.

Through National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), the Government of India is providing a package of services for preventive, promotive, curative and supportive care for COPD at various government health facilities. Under the NPCDCS programme, the health promotion activities for behaviour change, lifestyle modification, counselling, awareness generation and prevention of risk factors with special focus on cessation of smoking and reduced exposure to in-house pollution are being provided.

Healthcare services including those for COPD are provided in public health facilities upto district levels through the National Health Mission (NHM). Under free drugs and diagnostics initiative of NHM, States/UTs are assisted for free of cost distribution of essential drugs and diagnostics for various diseases, including COPD. In addition, States/UTs are also assisted for procurement of equipment such as Spyrometer, Complete pulmonary Function Test Machine, Pulse Oxymeter etc. Tertiary health care facilities are provided through medical colleges, and other premium institutions, including AIIMS. The treatment in Government health facilities is either free or subsidised.

Other preventive measures taken by the Government include the following:
• Initiation of daily Sentinel surveillance for Acute Respiratory Illnesses in Emergency Department of Central Government Hospitals.
• Providing feedback to hospitals for undertaking appropriate measures for managing respiratory illnesses in their hospitals.
• Issuing advisory on health effects of Air Pollution to Health department of all States.
• Prepare and share Information, Education and Communication (IEC) posters on Air Pollution and its health effects with State Health Departments
• Air Pollution and Health effects campaign have also been run on Social media.
• The States have also been advised to initiate sentinel surveillance for Acute Respiratory Illnesses in at least four to five major hospitals in the cities listed as highly polluted cities by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).