PGI’s Respicon ’12 begins, focuses on respiratory disorders

The XXIV conference of Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) Respiratory Chapter, 'Respicon', started on Friday, organised by the Department of Pediatrics, PGIMER.

Five different workshops were organized on Friday at five different venues within PGI for the delegates. These were the Asthma Training Module (ATM), Respiratory Tract Infections Group Education Module (RTI-GEM), Bronchoscopy, Protocol Development workshop and Pediatric Pulmonology Investigations workshops.

Prof Meenu Singh, unit head of Pediatric Pulmonology played key roles in framing guidelines for management of various respiratory disorders like asthma, way back in 1993.

The centre in PGIMER, Chandigarh has made enormous contribution in acquiring data for several multicentric studies like ISAAC, phase I, where school children (6-7 years and 13-14 years) were studied for the prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and other allergic disorders. Recently, ICMR has sanctioned an advanced centre for research in evidence-based child health with Meenu Singh as PI.

Currently research activities are underway in PGIMER, Advanced pediatric centre in respiratory diseases like pneumonia, asthma and upper respiratory tract infection.

According to WHO, pneumonia is the single largest cause of death in children younger than 5 years with an estimate of 1.4 million every year.

India contributes to a big chunk to this load, with an estimated mortality of 27.5% of all under five deaths.

Prevention and appropriate therapy has resulted in significant reduction of pneumonia deaths in developed nations. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 million pneumonia deaths per year is preventable when adequate immunization, nutrition and treatment is given to children.

Asthma/ allergic rhinitis is another common treatable respiratory illness in children. One in every twelve children in India have asthma. However, these are estimates made from institutional/ regional data. Asthma and allergic rhinitis affects children's activity, sleep and growth.

The prompt identification and initiation of therapy has resulted in improvement of symptoms, activity and growth.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Life of Pi singer Bombay Jayashri to perform in Chandigarh

Theories of Sino-India war far-fetched, says ex-Army chief

HC rejects Punjab plea on Bhattal’s govt house

Civic body moots Rs 616-cr budget, discussion today