Delhi govt hospitals to get dedicated chest clinics for pollution-related illnesses

Starting this year, the clinics will operate daily throughout the “peak pollution season”, from September to February, under guidelines issued by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

All Delhi government-run hospitals are set to have dedicated chest clinics for the diagnosis, treatment and management of air pollution-related illnesses for the first time. Starting this year, the clinics will operate daily throughout the “peak pollution season”, from September to February, under guidelines issued by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), according to an order issued by the Delhi health department.

All hospitals will also have to submit daily facility-level reports to the district nodal officer under the NPCCHH by 5:00pm every day, the order read.

The order dated November 6, seen by HT, issued by the department of health and family welfare (DGHS), directs all medical directors, medical superintendents and deans of medical colleges and institutions under the Delhi government to establish and operationalise these chest clinics within seven days of its issuance.

“Air pollution in Delhi peaks from September to February and leads to a sharp rise in respiratory and cardio-pulmonary illnesses. To provide targeted screening, treatment and risk communication, NCDC has issued guidelines for dedicated Chest Clinics under the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH),” it said.

The clinics will have to function daily throughout the peak pollution season, with hospitals required to ensure the availability of staff, equipment and drugs, besides appropriate diagnostic and reporting systems.

Further, all hospitals will also have to submit daily facility-level reports to the district nodal officer under the NPCCHH by 5:00pm every day, the order added.

This is the first time such dedicated chest clinics are being established at Delhi government-run hospitals, where targeted diagnosis and treatment will be provided for air pollution-related patients, mainly respiratory and cardio-pulmonary illnesses cases, an official aware of the matter from Delhi health department told HT.

“During winter seasons in Delhi, when air pollution gets worse, or regular respiratory and pulmonary cases would come in our regular OPD, but now with the dedicated chest clinic, these will be a separate department of this like burns or eye department. This will help in better diagnostic, treatment and data analysis for air pollution-related illnesses,” the official said.

In 2023, the Union government-run Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital set up an air pollution clinic to address pollution-related health issues through four departments: respiratory, dermatology, eye care, and psychiatry. The clinic runs for two hours every week on Mondays.