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Spike in respiratory ailments: Elderly, patients, children gasp for breath amid farm fires
Rampant burning of crop residue is key contributing factor behind the spike in breathing problems. Since 2016 seven Punjab districts contribute more than 45% of total farm fires
As paddy harvesting has entered the final stage in southwest districts of Punjab, the region has started witnessing a surge in respiratory diseases with hospitals and clinics getting flooding with patients complaining of such illness.
Health experts blame the rampant burning of crop residue as a key contributing factor behind the spike in cases which is avoidable.
Past trend indicates that since 2016, seven districts of Punjab alone contribute more than 45% of total cases of farm fires in the entire state.
Dr Kiranjit Kaur, chest expert at the state-run Guru Gobind Singh Medical College in Faridkot, said footfall of the patients in the outpatient department (OPD) and emergency wing with respiratory ailments have increased by three times in the last 2-3 weeks.
“Change of weather and burning of paddy residue are among the key factors behind the surge. Besides Faridkot, we get patients from various districts including Bathinda, Moga and Ferozepur,” she said.
Health authorities said a spike in patients is expected this week as paddy harvesting is picking up in Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar and other districts.
As per Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data, Ferozepur reported 1,658 cases, of residue burning by Wednesday. It is the highest in the south Malwa belt and ranked fourth in farm fire cases in the state this season.
Located on the Pakistan border, this season paddy growers of Ferozepur are consistently putting stubble afire causing air pollution.
The district has no official mechanism to gauge the air quality index but the hospitals are attending to scores of patients with respiratory ailments.
Source said the Ferozepur civil hospital alone is catering to about 25 cases of respiratory every day against the daily OPD of 7-9 patients on other days.
A senior consultant of pulmonary medicine at a leading private hospital in Ferozepur Dr Javed Ali said people in the rural areas are worst hit due to their proximity to fires.
He said breathlessness, choking sensation and severe cough are common symptoms complained by the patients.
“Patients who are asthmatic are facing a tough time due to stubble burning. This year also, we are getting patients and children and elderly are vulnerable to illness under such circumstances,” said Ali.
Dr Ravi Kant at the paediatric wing at Shaheed Bhai Mani Civil Hospital in Bathinda said the number of patients has almost doubled to 250 cases every day.
“Of these 90-100 cases reported everyday asthma, allergy or related respiratory illness. These patients are advised nebulisation or other drugs as children with bronchitis and asthma with aggravated conditions,” he said.
Bathinda civil surgeon Dr TS Dhillon said for the first time in the season, the district experienced smog this season.
“In the next 3-5 days, the number of patients is likely to see a sharp increase and it may last till December end. multiple factors are responsible for increased cases of asthma etc and stubble burning triggers such cases,” he added.
