History of DAA

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Diploma in Allergy & Asthma (DAA) is a year-long distance learning program in the subspecialty of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. It has been growing over the decade, producing around 300 DAA graduates. There are four Personal Contact Sessions (PCS). It is being conducted by the CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE (CMC), Vellore, TN (A World Allergy Organization Centre of Excellence) in collaboration with the INTERNATIONAL ASTHMA SERVICES (IAS) – a U.S based charitable organization dedicated to patient and physician education. The course directors are Dr D J Christopher, Professor & Head of Pulmonary Medicine, CMC, Vellore and Dr P K Vedanthan, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA.

The DAA programme is endorsed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma &Immunology (USA) and Centre for Global Health (CGH), School of Preventive Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA. DAA attracts highly merited applicants from all over India and beyond. As the number of seats is limited, the acceptance rate is around 20 to 25%. It has a major impact on several areas: clinical, education, research, and academic.

Today, the number of patients suffering from allergies and asthma is increasing rapidly in both the urban and rural regions of India. A conservative estimate is that 20 % of the population of our country suffers from one form of allergy or the other. The practice of allergy has never assumed due importance, and hence, there is an urgent need to equip doctors with the skills to evaluate & treat those suffering from allergic diseases. DAA programme aims to promote the speciality of allergy, asthma & immunology. It trains and equips medical personnel to manage the huge patient load. It also encourages public and physician education and increases awareness.