Over the summer, NIHR BRC Leicester’s Professor Sally Singh was invited to officially open an innovative new centre in India that brings together evidence-based rehabilitation, yoga, clinical expertise and global research collaboration to improve care for people living with heart and lung conditions.
Professor of Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation at the University of Leicester, Sally Singh, attended the opening of the Nodal Centre for Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation at Symbiosis Medical College for Women (SMCW) and Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre (SUHRC) in Pune, India.
The launch marks an important milestone in the ongoing development of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services in India and builds upon years of internationally recognised research led through the Global RECHARGE project, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
As part of the Global RECHARGE programme, Professor Singh led a multinational research collaboration involving partners in India, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Kyrgyzstan.
Working closely with colleagues in Pune, the team successfully developed and evaluated a digital pulmonary rehabilitation programme for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The programme was later adapted to support individuals with post-tuberculosis lung disease, helping to improve access to rehabilitation in settings where traditional services can be limited.
Professor Singh said: “It was wonderful to be invited to open the newly established Nodal Centre. This is a really importance hub – created to address a significant gap within India’s healthcare system: the lack of dedicated environments that fully integrate clinical care, education, training and research in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in India.
“By bringing these elements together under one roof, the centre aims to transform the delivery of rehabilitation services and improve outcomes for patients with chronic heart and lung diseases.”
The centre’s key objectives include:
- Setting national benchmarks by establishing a centre of excellence and a gold standard for patient care, professional education and research in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.
- Promoting holistic and preventive care by moving beyond a purely treatment-focused approach and embracing prevention, health promotion and “prehabilitation” to support people before serious illness develops or surgery takes place.
- Influencing policy and practice through the generation of high-quality evidence that can help shape future cardiopulmonary rehabilitation policies, service models and clinical guidelines at both national and international levels.
The partnership between Leicester and Pune continues to go from strength to strength, with the Leicester team remaining actively involved in supporting the growth and advancement of pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation services across a number of centres in India. Through ongoing collaboration, education and research, both organisations hope to improve access to high-quality rehabilitation and enhance the lives of people living with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions across the region.