44 medical colleges across India participated in a week-long COPD Screening Program SCREEN
Dr Sundeep Salvi, Director, CREST, an institute dedicated to research and education in the field of chronic lung diseases based in Pune, organised and coordinated a weeklong COPD (Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) screening programme called SCREEN among 44 medical colleges across India. This is the first nationwide screening programme for COPD in India. It was noticed that every sixth patient who visited a chest OPD had COPD.
Every patient visiting the chest department was screened for COPD using a screening tool comprising a set of 8 questions and a peak flow meter test. Those who were screened positive underwent a spirometry test that was performed by the Breathe free educator team of Cipla. Those found positive on Spirometry were then seen by the treating doctor. The final diagnosis of COPD was based on spirometry and by the treating doctor in the medical college. It was observed that 2440 patients visited OPD for screening, every sixth patient was found to have COPD of which 75 per cent were males and 25 per cent were females. Out of those 269 (11 per cent) were found to have COPD.