COPD causes more deaths than AIDS, TB, malaria & diabetes: Dr Balwinder Kumar

Patiala, December 26, 2025: A team of doctors from Park Hospital, Patiala including Dr Aparjot Brar consultant-pulmonology, Dr Kamaldeep Singh Sodhi, Dr Balwinder Kumar and Dr Amarjit Singh all consultant-internal medicine along with Dr Bram Prakash VP-medical operations shared the various facts and myths on chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) during a press conference here on Friday.

Park Hospitals is North India’s biggest super specialty hospital network with 19 hospitals, 3500 beds, 800 ICU beds, 14 cath labs, 45 modular OTs and over 1000 doctors.

Dr. Aparjot Brar consultant-pulmonology, Park Hospital Patiala said, “COPD affects nearly 63 million people in India, which is about 32 % of world's COPD population. Its third largest killer after heart problems & cancer worldwide. It causes more deaths than AIDS, TB, malaria & diabetes all put together. COPD can develop for years without noticeable shortness of breath. One begins to see the symptoms in the more developed stages of the disease as COPD is a progressive form of lung disease ranging from mild to severe.”

Dr Balwinder Kumar, consultant-internal medicine, Park Hospital Patiala said, “COPD most often occurs in people 40 years of age and older who have a history of smoking. Even if an individual has never smoked or been exposed to pollutants for an extended period, they can still develop COPD,”

COPD prevalence is around 5.5 to 7.55% in India and recent studies suggest the prevalence rate of COPD in males is as high as 22% in men and 19% in females, informed Dr Kamaldeep Singh Sodhi.

There is no permanent cure for COPD, but treatment options are available to prevent more damage and improve quality of life, Dr Amarjit Singh opined.

Dr Amarjit Singh further said,” As temperature drops, people having COPD are more prone to illness. The symptom becomes more aggravated during colder weather. The effects of cold weather on the lungs can be extreme and chronic exposure to cold environments is known to cause dramatic changes to the respiratory system. If a COPD patient develops COVID, it is really life threatening.”

Col Rajul Sharma, CEO-Park Hospital said that Park Hospital Patiala is biggest super specialty hospital with 450 beds, 150 ICU beds and the hospital is now empaneled with ECHS, CGHS, ESI, Ayushman and all major corporates and all types on critical care/ ICU and pulmonology.