The constant onslaught of pollutants has been turning the air passages of healthy individuals to resemble those in asthma patients, the country’s top pulmonologist told News18.
According to Dr Randeep Guleria, former director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, it’s crucial to find something that will consistently protect the health of youngsters and children, a population segment aggressively increasing in proportion among patients with respiratory distress.
For the past week, residents of Delhi have endured a hazardous and stifling smog as the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassed the 500-mark and hovered around the “severe” and “severe-plus” categories. The city got a breather on Friday with unseasonal rain improving air quality and visibility.
“Almost 60% days of the year have unsatisfactory or poor AQI levels. It’s not just a few days or these months when air quality is poor. But there is no action to find a feasible solution,” Guleria said. “This air will give us immediate acute effects and chronic long-term illnesses as well.”
Guleria, who is now chairman of the Institute of Internal Medicine & Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, told News18 that he has been noticing influx of healthy people complaining of tightness in the chest and continuous cough. “The constant exposure to pollutants has made the airways of a healthy individual look similar to the airways of an asthmatic person.”
The more concerning factor, he said, is that these symptoms are being reported in “much younger” age groups. “Students who have never had any history of respiratory disorder or youngsters who have migrated for jobs to Delhi-NCR are facing difficulties in breathing at night, persistent cough etc…”
Symptoms have, meanwhile, worsened in people who already suffer due to respiratory issues. “People with chronic respiratory issues are coming to the hospital with complaints of breathlessness, oxygen saturation, need for nebulisation. While some are being treated in emergency departments, some require admission in ICUs as well.”
More and more data has proven that such AQI increases the risk factors for heart disease, stroke, dementia and diabetes, he said. “Studies have also proven that PM 2.5 leads to inflammation in blood vessels.”
Guleria added that there is no solid data establishing the efficacy of air purifiers, but “some data proves that it can be used under certain conditions”.
Similarly, he said that “wearing masks during ‘severe’ and worse levels of AQI may not provide protection but can be done, especially by those who are already facing symptoms”.
Urgent Need of Bold Measures
“In the late 90s, when we started witnessing irritation of the eyes and suffocation, CNG was introduced as a solution. For some time, the situation had improved. We need similar measures once again that are bigger and permanent.”
Guleria added that policymakers need to work on decreasing the source of air pollution while drafting a good implementation strategy on an urgent basis.
Comments
0 comment