Rising Pollution Major Threat To Lung Health: Experts

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Air pollution is rapidly emerging as one of the biggest threats to lung health, reducing breathing capacity and increasing the risk of chronic respiratory diseases, experts warned at the conclusion of the Fourth Bronchopulmonary World Congress 2026 on Sunday.

Held over two days at the Brilliant Convention Centre, the conference brought together more than 750 delegates, including pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, critical care specialists, researchers and postgraduate students from across India, along with experts from the United States, the United Kingdom, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives and other countries.

Organising Secretary Prof. Dr Ravi Dosi said microscopic pollutants accumulate in the lungs over time, reducing their elasticity and increasing the risk of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis and other respiratory disorders.

He stressed that controlling air pollution must become a collective social responsibility to safeguard future generations.

The final day featured more than 30 scientific lectures on emerging drugs, interventional pulmonology, critical care, sleep medicine, thoracic surgery and advanced diagnostic technologies.

Experts also discussed innovations in lung transplantation, paediatric bronchoscopy, pulmonary rehabilitation, drug-resistant tuberculosis and the radiological diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases.

They emphasised that early diagnosis, combined with modern treatment technologies, can significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life while reducing the burden of severe respiratory illnesses.