Delhi's Rising Pollution Is Putting People With Respiratory Conditions At Risk, Warn Doctors

The sharp decline in Delhi's air quality is bringing the capital precariously close to a 'Great Smog' like the one in London in December, 1952. Doctors warn that this could lead to a rise in respiratory illnesses, especially among people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions.

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People with respiratory problems should stay home at peak traffic hours, or leave town for a while.

The burning of crop stubble in the states neighbouring Delhi is producing an effect similar to the Great Smog's to add to the capital's vehicular pollution, explained Dr. A. B. Dey, professor and head of geriatric medicine at AIIMS. He added, "It will turn acute if urgent measures are not taken." Dey's warning cannot be taken lightly because an estimated 4,000 people succumbed to respiratory ailments exacerbated by the 1952 smog, and the English authorities were forced to shut down industrial units and schools and to issue public advisories on places to avoid. While no such drastic measures are being contemplated in Delhi, doctors admitted that patients are choosing to stay indoors or leave the city for a spell. "We tell those suffering respiratory distress to avoid going out during the dawn and dusk hours when pollution levels are at their peak," said Dr. J. C. Suri, professor and head of pulmonary medicine at Safdarjang Hospital.

Heavier pollutants are affecting the upper respiratory tract and finer pollutants are causing lower respiratory tract infections.

The presence of pollutants in the air not only effects breathing, but also leads to fresh problems. According to Dr. G. C. Khilnani, professor of pulmonary medicine at AIIMS, when a person inhales, the heavier pollution particles get stuck in the upper respiratory tract leading to sore throats and coughs, while smaller particles cause infections of the lower respiratory tract. "High pollution levels have also been linked with increased risks of heart attacks and strokes," he added. Persistently high levels of pollution also prolong the recovery period for patients suffering from respiratory illnesses, warned Dr. Arup Basu, chest specialist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. He cited the example of a 65-year-old asthma patient in critical condition who has not responded to treatment over five days when he would normally have been up and about in two days of care. "We have tried a range of medications, from antibiotics and steroids to nebulisers, but the patient is still struggling to breathe," said Basu.

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Children are at a higher risk.

Since children breathe mores time every minute than adults, they take in a proportionately greater volume of air, thus increasing their vulnerability. As a global report pointed out, "Irritation caused by pollutants that would produce only a slight response in an adult can result in potentially significant obstruction in the still-developing airways of a young child."

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Air purifiers may or may not help.

Can air purifiers help in such a situation? Most experts are divided on this. "There is no data to prove their efficacy in reducing pollution's impact on health," said Suri. He and other medical experts feel that it is more important to address issues such as vehicular pollution and burning of farm waste at the official level, while getting the vulnerable to avoid crowded areas and peak traffic hours at the individual level.

These articles were originally published on Times of India