t’s no secret that Delhi is one of world’s most polluted cities and is home to a large number of asthma patients as well as those prone to pulmonary diseases. According to recent reports and city doctors, there has been a 300 per cent jump in the number of respiratory related ailments in many hospitals because of massive deterioration in air quality and growing pollution levels.
According to doctors, this is alarming and requires immediate attention.
Dr. Vikas Maurya, senior consultant respiratory, allergy and sleep disorder at BLK super speciality hospital, explained that Delhi can be categorised into Red, Yellow and Green zones as per their pollution levels. Accordingly, he added, we should develop mechanisms to tackle the menace of growing pulmonary diseases.
The areas near Delhi’s borders with Haryana and U.P. as well as the industrial clusters typically fall under the Red Zone like Mundka, Sahupura, Rajokri, Gokalpuri, Okhla, Badarpur, Narela, Chattarpur, Gokulpuri, etc.
“Here the government, civil society and private healthcare sector should come together to create a strict protocol for this region,” noted Dr. Maurya.
City doctors added that regular monitoring should be made mandatory, screening of the vulnerable like elderly and children should be increased and there should be frequent camps to sensitise people on safety and precaution.
Also traffic/policemen and those exposed to prolonged external environments should be provided safety gears and their duties moderated.
“Asthma patients living in Red Zones should be extra careful and try to be indoors unless it’s absolutely necessary. Wearing a mask is mandatory for patients in this zone if going out or even indoors for severe asthma. Dry air in this zone can also increase the chances of asthma attack. Lung function is at a higher risk in this zone,” noted Dr. Maurya.
Yellow zones are areas which see heavy vehicular traffic like Koshambi, Dhaula Kuan, Lakshmi Nagar, Ashram Chowk, South Extension, Ring Road, Mathura Road and can expose those on the margins to pulmonary diseases.
Here, other than regular monitoring for ambient air quality, we should make efforts to create awareness among people on healthy practices like walking and physical activities. Use of masks by people during peak traffic hours and switching off of engines at long traffic lights are highly recommended.
Also, those with symptoms of breathing difficulties should immediately go for medical aid. Patients in this zone need to check the air quality index regularly apart from taking regular medication.
Green zones are typically the New Delhi and Lutyens’ Delhi areas and full of trees like Connaught Place, Akbar Road, Babar Road and entire area of Central Delhi. Patients in this zone relatively have good lung function; however pollens in the air may trigger asthma attack, so they need to be extra careful.
“The overall rise in asthma symptoms cannot be directly related to air pollution but definitely 15-20 per cent exacerbations might be attributed to worsening air pollution. There is definite increase in symptoms and exacerbation among children, which may be somewhere around 10 per cent. Air pollution not only causes asthma exacerbations but may be associated with allergies, bronchitis, respiratory failure, respiratory infections and even pneumonia. Some patients had even required ICU admission and some elderly had even succumbed to death with severe respiratory failure,’’ said Dr. Anil Bansal from Delhi Medical Council.
