Breathing in the Capital's toxic air is like smoking 50 cigarettes a day, say doctors.
Just 48 hours after the Diwali festivities, cases of respiratory illnesses at city hospitals have shot up by about 30 per cent with patients complaining of chest congestion, breathlessness and cough. Delhi's top medical institutes are witnessing a massive rush in OPDs and casualty wards with doctors fearing that for many of the patients the next stage is pneumonia.
Experts say though the air quality is reportedly better than last year, the toxic pollutants levels are still the same- the only difference is visibility whas improved this time.
Since Diwali night, the doctors at the casualty ward of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) have witnessed a sudden surge in the number of patients complaining of breathing difficulties who had no previous problems in the recent past.
"I saw three patients in the OPD who did not have any respiratory issues for the past year. Within a few hours of the festivities, their symptoms exacerbated. Now, they have been advised inhalers and nebulisers. Moreover, we have witnessed patients with preexisting chest aliments," said Dr Arvind Kumar, chairman of the centre for chest surgery at SGRH.
"After Diwali celebrations, pollutant levels were such that it was equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day! The bursting of firecrackers is so harmful that the chemicals remain in the atmosphere for many months and are being inhaled by us. Most vulnerable groups are children and the elderly."
The pollutants which are a grave threat to residents are nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM2.5) and PM 10. These particles are so small that they get ingested deep into the lungs and cause damage.
The Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute in Delhi is also seeing a record number of patients post festivities. Doctors here are concerned about the other polluting factors such as vehicles, construction sites, indoor air pollution, and fumes from roadside dhabas.
"Obviously, pre-Diwali festivities, there were not many cases. Post celebrations, the cases have shot up by 20 to 30 per cent.
Patients are coming in with severe symptoms of breathing difficulty. Most of them are children above 12 years of age and the elderly," said (Prof) Dr Raj Kumar, head of pulmonary medicine at the institute.
SC Ban on Sale of Firecrackers
The Supreme Court this month banned the sale of crackers in and around Delhi till November 1 in a bid to prevent a repeat of the 2016 air pollution, the worst the national Capital recorded in 20 years.
(Prof) Dr Sanjeev Bagai, director of Manipal Hospital, told Mail Today: "Air pollution slowly creates morbidity and mortality by critically affecting several organsystems such as nervous system, kidneys, liver, intestines, skin, and blood. The younger population and pregnant mothers are more vulnerable. Banning of firecrackers was definitely a good step by the government, but more stringent measures should be taken to control air pollution."
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has seen a nearly 20 per cent jump in patients complaining of breathing difficulty in the past 48 hours. "People with pre-existing respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and cardiac diseases are suffering more due to poor air quality," said Dr Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS.
According to the latest Global Burden of Disease study, India accounts for a quarter of deaths caused worldwide by the two most chronic respiratory diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
It stated that of 32 lakh deaths by COPD, 8 lakh happened in India. Of 4 lakh deaths caused by asthma, 1 lakh were in India. The findings of the study were published this week in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine Journal. Health experts suggest air pollution is one of the major risk factors.
Just 48 hours after the Diwali festivities, cases of respiratory illnesses at city hospitals have shot up by about 30 per cent with patients complaining of chest congestion, breathlessness and cough. Delhi's top medical institutes are witnessing a massive rush in OPDs and casualty wards with doctors fearing that for many of the patients the next stage is pneumonia.
Experts say though the air quality is reportedly better than last year, the toxic pollutants levels are still the same- the only difference is visibility whas improved this time.
Since Diwali night, the doctors at the casualty ward of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) have witnessed a sudden surge in the number of patients complaining of breathing difficulties who had no previous problems in the recent past.
"I saw three patients in the OPD who did not have any respiratory issues for the past year. Within a few hours of the festivities, their symptoms exacerbated. Now, they have been advised inhalers and nebulisers. Moreover, we have witnessed patients with preexisting chest aliments," said Dr Arvind Kumar, chairman of the centre for chest surgery at SGRH.
"After Diwali celebrations, pollutant levels were such that it was equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day! The bursting of firecrackers is so harmful that the chemicals remain in the atmosphere for many months and are being inhaled by us. Most vulnerable groups are children and the elderly."
The pollutants which are a grave threat to residents are nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM2.5) and PM 10. These particles are so small that they get ingested deep into the lungs and cause damage.
The Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute in Delhi is also seeing a record number of patients post festivities. Doctors here are concerned about the other polluting factors such as vehicles, construction sites, indoor air pollution, and fumes from roadside dhabas.
"Obviously, pre-Diwali festivities, there were not many cases. Post celebrations, the cases have shot up by 20 to 30 per cent.
Patients are coming in with severe symptoms of breathing difficulty. Most of them are children above 12 years of age and the elderly," said (Prof) Dr Raj Kumar, head of pulmonary medicine at the institute.
SC Ban on Sale of Firecrackers
The Supreme Court this month banned the sale of crackers in and around Delhi till November 1 in a bid to prevent a repeat of the 2016 air pollution, the worst the national Capital recorded in 20 years.
(Prof) Dr Sanjeev Bagai, director of Manipal Hospital, told Mail Today: "Air pollution slowly creates morbidity and mortality by critically affecting several organsystems such as nervous system, kidneys, liver, intestines, skin, and blood. The younger population and pregnant mothers are more vulnerable. Banning of firecrackers was definitely a good step by the government, but more stringent measures should be taken to control air pollution."
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has seen a nearly 20 per cent jump in patients complaining of breathing difficulty in the past 48 hours. "People with pre-existing respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and cardiac diseases are suffering more due to poor air quality," said Dr Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS.
According to the latest Global Burden of Disease study, India accounts for a quarter of deaths caused worldwide by the two most chronic respiratory diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
It stated that of 32 lakh deaths by COPD, 8 lakh happened in India. Of 4 lakh deaths caused by asthma, 1 lakh were in India. The findings of the study were published this week in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine Journal. Health experts suggest air pollution is one of the major risk factors.