E-Paper
Respiratory patients at higher risk as air pollution rises in Lucknow
“In the OPD, we used to get one or two follow-up patients who reported to us before their due date. But today, there were a dozen such patients, indicating that the air pollution levels have started affecting such patients,” says senior faculty at KGMU
LUCKNOW People suffering from respiratory problems are at a higher risk of health complications in wake of deterioration in Lucknow’s air quality index (AQI) from ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’.
“In the OPD, we used to get one or two follow-up patients who reported to us before their due date. But today, there were a dozen such patients, indicating that the air pollution levels have started to affect such patients,” said Prof Rajiv Garg, senior faculty with the department of respiratory medicine at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU).
“The exposure to air pollution is aggravating symptoms among patients of respiratory illness. That is why many of them came much before their due follow-up date,” he said.
Lucknow recorded an AQI of 251 with PM 2.5 as a chief pollutant.
According to the AQI scale, the air quality check between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and between 401 and 450 as ‘severe’ and “severe+” when the AQI exceeds 450.
There is a similar in the number of such patients at other hospitals. “We have recorded a rise of 5% in the number of patients with respiratory illness,” said Dr AK Singh, director, Balrampur Hospital.
Doctors said these patients should ensure they do not skip prescribed medicines.
Former president of IMA (Lucknow) Dr PK Gupta said, “Morning walk can be delayed a bit to avoid early morning chill and smog. Wearing a cloth mask made at home while going out in the traffic can help.”
Dr Devashish Shukla, medical superintendent at Kalyan Singh Super Speciality Cancer Institute and Hospital, said: “If a cancer patient has asthma, then air pollution poses a greater risk for them. Such patients need to remain more cautious.”
