Pulmonary rehabilitation in resource poor settings

In preparation for our 1st Scientific Conference in Sri Lanka in August 2017, we have been discussing the programme with our International Advisory Committee, and ensuring it is practical and applicable to the real working lives of primary care clinicians and their patients.    Our colleague Monsur Habib highlighted a 2011  paper from the Departments of Pulmonary Medicine in Lucknow and Mumbai, India which suggests that in "resource-poor settings, the goal of rehabilitation may be achieved by incorporating regular unsupervised exercise in daily routine" and would give access to the 70%+ (2001 Census) of the Indian population that live in rural areas where the prevalence of tobacco dependence and COPD is also highest.   It also gives a commentary on the current evidence, from a low resource setting perspective.  

Gothi D, Joshi JM.  Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2011;53:163-172

We hope that teams who have tried to implement such programmes will submit abstracts to our conference to share their findings and experience.  Details of abstract submission: 1st Scientific Conference in Sri Lanka in August 2017

Siân Williams