Health dept asks hospitals to remain prepared for pollution related ailments

Gurugram: Considering the spike of toxic pollutants in the air, the state health department has directed all the districts, with special focus on Gurugram and Faridabad,

Gurugram: Considering the spike of toxic pollutants in the air, the state health department has directed all the districts, with special focus on Gurugram and Faridabad, to ensure the preparedness of the health facilities to tackle ailments related to air pollution.

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Rajiv Arora, state’s additional chief secretary, department of health and family welfare, directed all the civil surgeons of the state to ensure availability of drugs and equipment required for treatment of medical conditions related to air pollution.

“In the region, there has been a rise in the air quality index (AQI), which might lead to certain respiratory, allergic, dermatological, ophthalmological and other ailments. We have directed our officials to ensure the preparedness of the health facilities to tackle such cases and availability of drugs required in the treatment of such ailments,” Arora told HT .

Gurugram’s civil surgeon, Dr JS Punia, said, “Till now, there has not been any major increase in the number of patients visiting OPD with air pollution sickness. Still, all our hospitals are prepared. We have enough masks and inhalers, which we are providing to people showing signs of asthma or allergy.”

City’s private hospitals, however, reported an increase in the number of people complaining about the respiratory illness. According to pulmonologists, there has been an increase of 20-25% in the number of patients visiting OPDs with symptoms of air pollution sickness and a significant increase in the patients admitted to the hospital with chronic respiratory problems.

“The number of new patients with the respiratory illness have increased post-Diwali. We are seeing a lot of people complaining about allergic reactions like chest tightness, nasal problems, soar-throat pain, and nausea. Last year, only 10-15% of patients reported such problems. This year it has drastically increased to 25%,” said Dr Arunesh Kumar, chief, pulmonology department, Paras Hospital.

Affirming that patients visiting OPD with respiratory ailments have increased by more than 20%, Dr Piyush Goyal, senior consultant, pulmonology and critical care, Columbia Asia, said, “Patients with respiratory illnesses who were earlier stable on medicines are now coming with acute pneumonia, asthma exacerbation, and COPD. Most of them are being admitted.”

On Sunday, Delhi’s directorate general of health services also issued a health advisory.