CGPWA marks Senior Citizens Day with health talk on chest diseases
22/08/2026
Jammu, Aug 21: The Central Government Pensioners' Welfare Association (CGPWA), Jammu, organised a health talk on "Common Chest Diseases Among the Elderly" to mark the 36th Senior Citizens Day here.
The programme was presided over by CGPWA President Kuldeep Khoda, while the health talk was delivered by Dr Rahul Gupta, Pulmonologist and Head of the Department of Chest Diseases, GMC Jammu.
Dr Gupta highlighted the respiratory health challenges faced by senior citizens and said chronic lower respiratory tract diseases are a major cause of mortality among the elderly. He said declining lung reserve, immune function and respiratory muscle strength make older persons more vulnerable to respiratory ailments.
He discussed common conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, aspiration pneumonia, tuberculosis, bronchiectasis and lung cancer. Referring to COPD, he said it remains a major cause of deaths globally and in India.
Dr Gupta also stressed the need for adequate nutrition and a healthy environment to prevent respiratory diseases, particularly tuberculosis. He advised senior citizens to consult qualified doctors in case of unusual symptoms and follow prescribed treatment. He strongly recommended vaccination against preventable diseases, including influenza, pneumonia and herpes, in consultation with doctors. He also advised senior citizens to avoid smoking and passive smoking, maintain proper nutrition, undertake regular physical activity, including walking, breathing exercises and yoga, and ensure proper ventilation at home.
In his presidential address, Kuldeep Khoda thanked Dr Gupta for the informative session and urged senior citizens to follow the preventive measures discussed. He said the CGPWA had been organising health talks by specialists from different medical fields and conducting health camps in collaboration with CGHS-empanelled hospitals.
Khoda said the association had facilitated the empanelment of several Jammu hospitals under CGHS and efforts were underway to secure the empanelment of more hospitals, including AIIMS Vijaypur.
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