IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. ARVIND KUMAR

Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgery, Chest Onco-Surgery & Lung Transplantation Chairman, Medanta Robotic Institute, Medanta Hospital, Gurugram Founder, Lung Care Foundation.

Dr. Arvind Kumar is a globally recognized thoracic surgeon and a pioneer in chest surgery and robotic surgery in India. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery, Chest Onco-Surgery & Lung Transplantation, and the Chairman of the Medanta Robotic Institute at Medanta Hospital, Gurugram.

With over 36 years of dedicated public service, Dr. Kumar previously held the positions of Chairman, Centre for Chest Surgery and Director, Institute of Robotic Surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. Prior to that, he was a Professor of Surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, where he spent over three decades advancing surgical techniques and mentoring generations of surgeons.

Dr. Kumar is the founder of the Lung Care Foundation, a pioneering organization committed to promoting lung health and combating air pollution. He leads India’s largest and most comprehensive Chest Surgery Program, offering cutting-edge surgical care for a broad spectrum of thoracic ailments, including lung cancer, chest trauma, and complex thoracic disorders.

In recognition of his extraordinary service to the medical field, Dr. Arvind Kumar was conferred with the prestigious Dr. B. C. Roy Award for ‘Eminent Medical Person of the Year – 2014’ by the Hon’ble President of India, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee.

 

GNY LIVE Nothing Pink About Your Health: In Conversation with Dr. Arvind Kumar on Health, Advocacy, and Action

Our lungs, the first respondents to the air pollution crisis, are no longer pink. It is spottled black and grey. Learn how risky the air is from the eye-opening revelations of Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery at Medanta Hospital and founder of the Lung Care Foundation. An earnest, true-to-his-discipline doctor, he opens up the issue for a better public understanding. One can survive without food for about 21 days and without water for about five days. But without air, we have just two minutes to keep the body and soul together. This shows just how critical air is for the human body. Despite tall political promises, food and water quality have been questionable and unremedied since India’s independence. However, the free fall into toxic air is new. Curiously, it has not even made it to the list of political parties' manifestos. This GnY blog summarises key insights from the podcast discussion. It delves into the health implications of air pollution, the gaps in public awareness, and actionable steps to address this silent epidemic. From understanding the effects of particulate matter to advocating for systemic change through the ‘triple A’ approach, this discussion emphasises the critical role of community action and policy reforms.

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