Dr Akash Verma is a respiratory physician practising at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, with a focus on interventional pulmonology. He holds MBBS, MRCP (UK), Fellowship of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore in Respiratory Medicine, and FRCP (Edin).
He previously served as a Senior Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and was an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. He completed fellowship training in interventional pulmonology, including visiting fellowships at Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, the Mayo Clinic and the University of Chicago.
His procedural practice includes flexible and rigid bronchoscopy, laser resection of lung tumours, silicone airway stenting, pleuroscopy and navigation bronchoscopy.
Clinical focus
Interventional pulmonology / lung cancer.
Qualifications (as publicly listed)
MBBS, MRCP (UK), FAMS (Respiratory Medicine), FRCP (Edin).
Where they practise
- Clinic / practice: Interventional Pulmonology & Lung Clinic (see our clinic listing) — Orchard (Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre)
- Hospital / training affiliation(s): Mount Elizabeth Hospital
Getting to the clinic
The Interventional Pulmonology & Lung Clinic is based at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, part of the Mount Elizabeth Hospital campus just off Orchard Road. The nearest rail station is Orchard MRT (NS22 / TE14), with Somerset MRT also within reach; from Orchard the medical centre is a short walk, much of it sheltered through the Orchard area. Buses serve Orchard Road, and taxi or ride-hailing drop-off is available at the medical centre and hospital entrances. Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre has a paid visitor carpark on site for those driving.
On arrival, take the lifts to the clinic floor; the building directory and reception can point you the right way. As the Orchard area is busy, allowing extra travel time and arriving early for registration is sensible.
What interventional pulmonology and lung cancer care covers
Dr Verma focuses on interventional pulmonology, with procedural practice including flexible and rigid bronchoscopy, laser resection of lung tumours, silicone airway stenting, pleuroscopy and navigation bronchoscopy. Interventional pulmonology uses minimally invasive techniques, often passing thin instruments through the airways or chest wall, to diagnose and treat conditions of the lungs, airways and the lining of the chest. These procedures can take samples (biopsies), open up blocked or narrowed airways, and treat fluid or growths around the lungs.
In lung cancer, these tools help reach and sample suspicious areas to make a diagnosis, assess how far disease has spread, and relieve symptoms such as breathlessness caused by an airway blockage or fluid around the lung (pleural effusion). Bronchoscopy allows the airways to be examined directly, navigation bronchoscopy helps reach areas deeper in the lung, and airway stenting can hold open a narrowed airway. The aim is accurate diagnosis and, where possible, relief of distressing symptoms.
What to expect at a consultation
A first consultation usually begins with a detailed history of your symptoms, such as cough, breathlessness, coughing up blood or chest discomfort, your smoking history and any previous tests. An examination includes listening to the chest. The doctor will review any imaging you have, such as a CT scan, and explain whether a procedure like bronchoscopy or pleuroscopy is needed to obtain a diagnosis or relieve symptoms.
If a procedure is planned, what it involves, the preparation, sedation or anaesthesia, and the recovery are explained, along with the benefits and risks. The results and the next steps, which may involve working with cancer specialists, are then discussed. You are encouraged to ask questions and bring someone with you for support.
Preparing for your appointment
It helps to bring:
- Your photo identification and any referral letter.
- Previous records and, importantly, any CT scans, X-rays or PET scans and their reports.
- A current list of all medicines and supplements, including any blood thinners, which are important before procedures.
- A note of your symptoms, including cough, breathlessness and any blood, with timing.
- A written list of questions, and details of your smoking history.
After your consultation and follow-up
After a procedure, you will be told how and when to expect the results, such as biopsy findings, and what follow-up is needed. If a diagnosis such as lung cancer is made, care usually continues with a multidisciplinary team, and referrals to oncology or surgery may be arranged. Reports and results can be obtained through the clinic, and a second opinion is your right at any stage. Seek urgent care after a procedure or in general if you develop severe breathlessness, significant coughing up of blood, chest pain or a fever, as these need prompt attention.
Booking, referrals and fees
As a private clinic, an appointment can usually be made without a referral, though a GP or polyclinic referral may help if you later seek subsidised care at a public clinic. For eligible procedures, MediSave, MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans may apply within set limits, while specialist consultations are commonly paid out of pocket. Procedure costs vary with the type and setting, so confirm current fees and what is claimable directly with the clinic.
Common questions
What is interventional pulmonology?
It is a field that uses minimally invasive techniques, often through the airways or chest wall, to diagnose and treat lung, airway and chest conditions without open surgery.
What is a bronchoscopy?
It is a procedure in which a thin flexible or rigid instrument is passed into the airways to look inside the lungs, take samples and, in some cases, treat blockages.
How can these procedures help with lung cancer?
They help reach and sample suspicious areas to make a diagnosis and assess spread, and can relieve symptoms such as breathlessness from a blocked airway or fluid around the lung.
What is a pleural effusion?
It is a build-up of fluid around the lung, which can cause breathlessness. It can be sampled and drained, and procedures such as pleuroscopy help find the cause.
Related guides
Sources & verification
See also: our editorial directory of respiratory physicians (lung specialists) in Singapore and our shortlist of respiratory clinics.
This is an independent, factual profile compiled from the public sources listed above — not a paid listing, advertisement or endorsement. Details can change; always verify a doctor’s current registration on the Singapore Medical Council public register and confirm specifics directly with the clinic. This page is general information, not medical advice or a recommendation of any individual practitioner. See our editorial policy.
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