India Faces A New Danger After Covid, Doctors Flag Air Pollution As A Rising Medical Crisis

New Delhi: Lung specialists of Indian origin practicing in Britain say that the most serious challenge facing India after the Corona pandemic is respiratory diseases. They believe that this problem is growing silently, and if effective steps are not taken immediately, the situation may go out of control.

According to these experts, a large number of patients are not being identified in time, and in many places the treatment system is also not ready for this increasing burden.

What is the real reason for the increase in the number of patients?

Doctors believe that smoke coming from vehicles and industries in cities is the biggest reason. According to Dr. Manish Gautam, a senior respiratory disease specialist, the impact of pollution has become so deep in many parts of North India that millions of people are already suffering its effects.

Gautam also says that policies to stop pollution alone will not provide relief. What is needed is rapid action to detect and treat the disease in time. He suggested that the government should form a special task force and launch a big campaign on this problem, just like it was launched against TB.

Is the number of patients in hospitals increasing?

According to information received from Delhi, the number of patients suffering from respiratory problems in hospitals has increased by 20 to 30 percent in December. The special thing is that these include many people who have faced this kind of problem for the first time. According to doctors, early symptoms like headache, fatigue, frequent cold, throat irritation, and dryness in the eyes are often ignored, whereas these can be warnings of serious illness.

Is it just a health issue or an economic threat too?

Dr. Rajay Narayan, a senior cardiologist from London, said that if this problem is not stopped in time, the burden on the country's economy will also increase. Prolonged treatment, pressure on hospital capacity, and a decline in the productivity of working people can prove to have a major impact.

Why was the bullet train project stopped in Mumbai?

Amid increasing pollution in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has currently stopped the construction of the Bullet Train Project located at the Bandra-Kurla Complex. The inspection found that dust control and air quality standards were not followed at the site.

Recently, the High Court had also expressed concern about pollution and had clearly indicated that if the situation does not improve, the approval for new construction works may be affected. BMC has sent notices to the contractors and ordered them to immediately stop the work related to excavation and soil removal.