Arti Sarin Inaugurates First Dedicated KASA Cough Clinic in AFMS

Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), on August 13, 2026 inaugurated the ‘KASA’ (Cough) Clinic, introducing what the Armed Forces Medical Services describes as its first dedicated clinical initiative focused on the comprehensive evaluation and management of cough-related conditions.

The new clinic has been set up as a specialised respiratory care model within the AFMS, with an emphasis on integrated, evidence-based and protocol-driven treatment. Instead of addressing cough only as an isolated symptom, the clinic is designed to provide patients with a structured pathway that includes evaluation, investigations, coordinated treatment and follow-up over time.

Cough is one of the most common symptoms linked to respiratory illness, but its causes can vary widely. While many cases are short-lived, persistent or recurrent cough often requires detailed assessment to identify the underlying condition and determine the right treatment approach. The KASA Clinic has been built around that need, with a patient-centric framework intended to avoid fragmented management and ensure that individuals with ongoing symptoms receive a more systematic clinical response.

A central feature of the initiative is its multidisciplinary design. Persistent cough can involve multiple medical specialties depending on the cause, and the AFMS clinic has been conceptualised to bring relevant expertise together within a single structured clinical pathway. The aim is to improve coordination in diagnosis and treatment, while also making the care process easier for patients navigating repeated respiratory complaints.

The clinic will also function on a longitudinal model, meaning patients are not assessed only once and discharged after initial treatment. Those with continuing respiratory symptoms may need monitoring over an extended period, and regular follow-up is expected to help clinicians track symptom changes, judge whether treatment is working and modify management where required.

Another key element is the use of standardised protocols. According to the AFMS approach outlined for the KASA Clinic, protocol-driven care gives healthcare teams a structured framework for evaluating patients, ordering appropriate investigations and deciding on treatment or specialist referral. Such a system can also reduce unnecessary tests and repeated consultations by creating a clear pathway from first assessment to diagnosis, treatment and subsequent review.

The launch of the clinic reflects a wider preventive healthcare focus within the Armed Forces Medical Services. Early identification and timely management of respiratory conditions can help prevent complications and improve health outcomes for serving personnel and other beneficiaries covered by the military medical system.

For the armed forces, that has implications beyond routine clinical care. The health and physical fitness of personnel are directly tied to operational readiness, especially for those deployed in demanding environments such as remote areas, high-altitude regions, ships, submarines and air bases. A more organised respiratory care pathway can therefore contribute not only to individual well-being but also to the broader medical support structure required to sustain military effectiveness.

The KASA Clinic also points to a growing emphasis within AFMS on specialised outpatient healthcare models. By centring clinical expertise, diagnostic processes and follow-up mechanisms around a specific medical problem, such clinics can offer a more focused and coordinated approach than conventional symptom-based care spread across multiple departments.

Under the leadership of Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, the Armed Forces Medical Services has continued to stress innovation, modernisation, preventive medicine and patient-centred healthcare. The addition of the KASA initiative expands the specialised capabilities available across the healthcare network that supports personnel of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.

The initiative also reflects a broader shift in healthcare thinking within the services: away from waiting for illness to become severe and towards earlier evaluation, prevention, continuous monitoring and timely intervention. In that sense, the clinic is intended not just as a treatment point for cough, but as a structured model for managing a common symptom that can signal a range of underlying respiratory conditions.

By combining multidisciplinary expertise, evidence-based protocols and sustained follow-up, the KASA Clinic is meant to create a comprehensive care pathway for patients with cough and associated respiratory complaints. As AFMS’ first clinic of this kind, its inauguration adds a new specialised component to the military medical ecosystem and reflects the organisation’s effort to strengthen targeted healthcare services while maintaining high clinical standards.