WORLD COPD DAY 2023: EMPOWERING EARLY ACTION, THROUGH BETTER DISEASE AWARENESS
India, 2023: India's most recent National Health Policy aims to reduce early deaths from noncommunicable diseases, including chronic respiratory conditions, by 25% by 2025 [1] . Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major concern in this context. While the disease is the 2 nd leading cause of death and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in India [2] , a recent study revealed that a staggering 54% of COPD-diagnosed patients had no knowledge about the disease 1 . This highlights a clear gap in the effective management of COPD, where awareness plays a crucial role in instigating the process of detection, diagnosis, and intervention. Therefore, on this World COPD Day, medical experts across the nation unite under the global theme of, 'Breathing is Life - Act Earlier,' highlighting the pivotal role of heightened disease awareness in improving disease control, quality of life as well as life expectancy for those grappling with this condition. An umbrella ...