February is a rather busy time for the city hospitals which claim to be stocking up for the ‘harsh’ months ahead. With the Capital all set to tackle the annual seasonal onslaught of dengue, chikungunya, malaria, jaundice, and gastroenteritis that hits the city with seemingly unfailing accuracy, doctors caution that ‘prevention is better than cure’.
“The good months for Delhi health-wise are February, October and November when the weather is fine (neither very hot nor very cold) and there is no scarcity of water and seasonal vegetables and fruits. This offers Delhiites the time to enjoy a spell of healthy weather and gives the doctors and hospitals a breather. However, these are also months when the weather is changing and we also get cases of common cold, asthma and respiratory tract infections,” said Indian Medical Council member Dr. Anil Bansal.
He added that the “health harsh months” include peak summers, monsoons and peak winters. “Weather plays a very crucial role in the wellbeing of the residents of a city. The hot, humid months are known to encourage viruses to replicate faster. The lack of hygiene and the shortage of access to clean drinking water and healthy food aggravates the problems for Delhiites,” said Dr. Bansal.
“Delhi also sees a lot of fevers round the year,” says Dr. A.B. Dey of the Geriatric Services Department of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Seconding this, Heart Care Foundation of India president Dr. K.K. Aggarwal noted: “Fevers plague the city round the year and that is a cause for worry. Delhi and its harsh weather is specially unforgiving for people with respiratory tract infections and problems, heart ailments, blood pressure complaints and those with compromised immunity. The city is also taxing on young children and older persons. Rising pollution levels and the fact that there is little emphasis on preventive healthcare puts the residents at an additional disadvantage.”
(By Bindu Shajan Perappadan)
