The combination of festive activities and the onset of winter has further worsened the air quality index (AQI) in some states and union territories across India, forcing the Union health ministry to issue an advisory, in which states Health departments and health facilities have been instructed to increase their preparedness for security. Public health against the adverse effects of increasing air pollution levels.
Recently, the ministry has said that people should limit outdoor activities including sports and walking in the early morning/late evening (especially the elderly and vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, children and people working outdoors such as traffic police officers Are included).
The central government, in its recent order to states and union territories, has warned that air pollution significantly contributes to serious health conditions and increases the progression of related chronic diseases. It has asked them to initiate measures to ensure preparedness in view of the deteriorating air quality across North India with the onset of winter and its adverse impact on people’s health.
The Centre’s letter directs that public awareness campaigns be carried out through mass media using regional languages and also calls for strengthening the healthcare workforce and increasing participation in sentinel surveillance for air pollution-related diseases. Has been done Weather experts have said the air quality in the national capital is currently in the ‘very poor’ category and hospitals are recording a rise in the number of patients with adverse respiratory symptoms.
Director General of Health Services Atul Goyal, in his letter, said the adverse effects of air pollution are “particularly severe” for vulnerable groups. Noting that chronic diseases caused by long-term exposure to air pollution often lead to increased premature mortality, the letter said there is a need to ensure “advanced preparedness”.
The central government has sought to discourage stubble and waste burning, promote use of public transport, limit dependence on diesel-based generators, etc.
Also, individuals have been advised to monitor air quality indices through government mobile applications before stepping out, avoid heavily crowded areas and choose clean fuel at home for cooking, heating and lighting. Reduce your exposure to polluted air.
The capital and its surrounding region as well as other regions of the country are witnessing a worrying rise in pollution levels, with the Delhi-NCR air quality index (AEX) hovering around the 300-400 range and even Has exceeded 500.
Experts said, in the month of October and the beginning of winter, an increase of about 40% is being seen in cases of heart and respiratory problems, including asthma, due to high levels of pollution. The World Heart Federation (WHF)’s World Heart Report 2024 has indicated shocking data on the relationship between air pollution and cardiovascular disease (CVD) globally. In India, a country that already struggles with a high prevalence of CVD, the impact of environmental factors, particularly air pollution, poses a significant public health challenge.
Experts are now calling for urgent attention and action to address these environmental factors of CVD. Indian cardiologists and public health professionals emphasize that without addressing pollution, tackling heart health challenges will remain an uphill battle.
Stressing on the clinical mechanism, Faraz Ahmed Farooqui, consultant in cardiology at PSRI Hospital, said that long-term exposure to air pollution causes endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress, both of which are important precursors to cardiovascular diseases.
“In India, polluted areas have seen a significant increase in the incidence of conditions such as coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure. These pollutants not only increase blood pressure but also trigger inflammatory reactions in blood vessels, accelerating atherosclerosis, thereby increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes,” he said.
The World Heart Report also highlights how particulate matter from agricultural practices, particularly residue burning in North India, has a significant impact on air quality. Smoke from burning crop stubble increases particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), impacting the cardiovascular health of millions of people. Praveen Gupta, principal director and head of Neurology at Fortis Hospital, said pollution has a significant impact on human health.
“It can aggravate respiratory problems like COPD and asthma. Apart from being the main cause of cancer, it also increases the risk of heart disease. It is also a major risk factor for stroke, cognitive impairment, and dementia. Pollution has a negative impact on mental health, causing distraction, irritability and brain fog. There is growing evidence that exposure to air pollution increases the risk of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. “Poor air quality has a significant impact on our mental health, increasing the risk of anxiety and depression,” he said.
The primary causes of this increased risk include traffic exhaust smoke, domestic wood burning, and elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide, which can be attributed to industrial emissions, gardening equipment, power plants, and construction and exhaust fumes.
Experts are now advocating taking steps to reduce air pollution in their communities, such as using public transportation wherever possible, reducing wood and coal use in the home, repairing cars on a regular basis and Inspecting tires often.“We can do that too. “Avoid exposure to high levels of air pollution by limiting the time you spend in areas with high amounts of traffic or other pollutants, as well as using filtration systems to keep the air in your homes pure,” says Dr. Gupta Added. They warned that household air pollution is associated with increased mortality from ischemic heart disease and stroke, with women and children in rural areas particularly vulnerable.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says air pollution can cause a variety of health problems, including heart disease (stroke and heart disease), respiratory disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute respiratory infections and asthma), cancer (lung cancer), prematurity and low birth weight, cognitive and neurological impairment.
Air pollution is a major environmental health problem that affects people of all income levels. In 2019, WHO estimated that 4.2 million people died prematurely due to outdoor air pollution. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected by air pollution, with 89% of premature deaths occurring in these regions. Air pollution is the second leading cause of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally after tobacco.
“Ambient (outdoor) air pollution in both cities and rural areas is causing particulate matter which results in stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and acute and chronic respiratory diseases. Additionally, approximately 2.6 billion people are exposed to dangerous levels of household air pollution from using polluting open fires or ordinary stoves for cooking with kerosene, biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. ,” WHO says. It states that air pollution is the contamination of the indoor or outdoor atmosphere by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
Household combustion appliances, motor vehicles, industrial facilities, and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution causes respiratory and other diseases and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality.
WHO data shows that almost the entire global population (99%) breathes air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering the most exposure. Are. Air quality is also closely linked to Earth’s climate and ecosystems on a global scale.)
published – November 22, 2024 12:02 am IST
