DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

Greeting from LRS Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, New Delhi.

             The Institute is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. It was established with the objectives of being an apex Institute in the country for prevention, control and treatment of tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases and also provide facilities for training, teaching and research in the field of respiratory medicine.  Another important aim of the Institute was to promote National Tuberculosis Control Programme in the country and to formulate strategies, which are socially acceptable and economically feasible so as to assist and strengthen the programme.  Respiratory Medicine has undergone tremendous changes in this country over the past few decades. Tuberculosis is still one of the important problem since a long time in this country and will continue to be so for the years to come. I am proud to say that the Institute is an integral part of the RNTCP providing important support to the programme.  It has been a guiding force in formulating various policies related to tuberculosis control and research.

 

            The Institute is imparting training to senior TB Control policy makers and implementers in the country.  Besides tuberculosis, the Institute also caters to other non-tuberculous  lung diseases.  The Institute is unique in the sense that comprehensive respiratory care is provided under one roof. Besides a full-fledged tuberculosis and respiratory disease department, it has different other department like Thoracic surgery, Intensive Care Unit, Pediatrics Respiratory Diseases, General Medicine, Radiology, Pathology, Epidemiology and Anaesthesiology.  The Microbiology department  has an International level laboratory accredited by the CDC, Atlanta & Antewerp, Belgium. A BSL-III Laboratory is already functional and state of the art MDR TB ward is to be commissioned very shortly.  The department provides advanced diagnostic facilities for mycobacterial and other diseases. Besides routine solid mycobacterial culture, the department provides liquid culture facilities like Bactec & MGIT system. Every year nearly 7000 mycobacterial cultures and DSTs are carried out by the Institute.  PCR & RT-PCR facilities  are available that explore various newer diagnostics. The department also carries out other microbial work including viral, fungal and parasitic diseases relevant to respiratory medicine.  The Institute has a strength of 520 beds with dedicated staff of nearly 600. The faculties are highly motivated, energetic and involved in imparting state of the art patient care and are engaged in various research activities.  The Institute teaches 30 students for their DNB course in Respiratory Medicine.  A number of research projects are being carried out both in collaboration with national and international  agencies.  The faculty of the Institute published original research papers regularly in peer reviewed National & International journals. As the scope of respiratory medicine in India has undergone a revolution in the last century, our endeavor is to be an Institute par excellence which will play a leading role not only in the field of tuberculosis but also in other non tubercular respiratory diseases.  We plan to expand our academic activities further by establishing postgraduate and other super specialty training programmes in the near future.

 

            We are having state of the art  Thoracic Surgical Centre devoted to surgery of various thoracic procedures.  The centre is getting ready to take up challenges like lung transplant programme in near future.   The Institute has established a Research wing (Robert Koch Research Centre) to undertake both clinical and basic research.  The Institute is engaged in various clinical trials, both Govt. & Pharma supported in the field of Tuberculosis, COPD and Lung Cancer.  We have strengthened a new programme of providing comprehensive management facilities to patients of Lung Cancer and rehabilitation programme for patient with various respiratory diseases including pulmonary tuberculosis.  Our HIV/AIDS clinic is expanding its activities in patients care and research activities.  The Institute undertakes RNTCP activities at the fields level covering population of ~1 million in South Delhi.  The Institute was the first in the country to have the DOTS Plus programme as a GLC approved  site.  Now with the expansion of the DOTS Plus programme, we give DST facilities to half of Delhi and is one of the 4 DOTS  Plus sites of Delhi. The Institute aims at taking up various community based educational activities on various respiratory diseases. Recently we have started Tobacco Cessation Clinic as well as an Allergy Clinic.  We conduct CMEs on regular basis for benefit of Chest Physicians and private practitioners.

 

            While the Institute is fully geared to take up both clinical and research issues in the field of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, we are also looking for and willing to take up partnerships to expand these areas, both from National & International agencies.  Our vision to be Centre of Excellence in the field of TB and Respiratory Diseases and to be an advanced centre in the region in the field of the Thoracic Medicine.

  

D. Behera

Director