Doctors claim polluted air to be an important cause of increasing respiratory disorders and decreasing life expectancy
wedh tajya ghadamodincha/September 8, Mumbai: Distinguished doctors from Mumbai have stressed on the link between increasing air pollution levels and growing prevalence of respiratory disorders, especially in metropolitan cities like Mumbai. The doctors expressed their expert opinions in the webinar ‘Dialogue with Doctors on Health impacts of Air Pollution’ conducted by Waatavaran Foundation on 7th September on the occasion of International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. The event hosted a panel of prominent doctors from Mumbai – Dr. Sanjeev Mehta, Pulmonologist, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre; Dr. Amita Athavale, Chest and TB Specialist, KEM Hospital; Dr. Aditi Shah,Consultant Paediatrician, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital; Dr. Sharvary Rathod, Chest Physician and Allergy Specialist, Breathe Easy Clinic. This crucial conversation was moderated by Ms. Rima Sadashiv Amrapurkar, an award winning filmmaker, podcaster and Communication Lead at Pratham Infotech Foundation. The event was streamed live through Max Maharashtra Platform.
Air pollution is a very serious issue we face currently and it poses a significant threat to public health. As the world grapples with worsening air quality, it’s imperative to shed light on these severe impacts on our health and advocate for better respiratory health.
Dr. Sanjeev Mehta while talking about prevalence of respiratory disorders commented “One of the 6 causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) is early childhood exposure to noxious air pollutants. In India the number of people with COPD is around 55 million, equivalent to the population of Australia and Canada put together, and in terms of sickness and death due to respiratory disorders the situation is very bad. This is a time where we as people need to hold our public representatives accountable and ask them what they are doing to ensure a livable environment for us.”
Dr. Amita Athavale stated “Anything and everything happening in the environment affects us. The main causative pollutants affecting us have changed through the years and in the years 2010-2023, the major cause is dust pollution due to Construction and Demolition activities. Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide are the most critical air pollutants. Emission inventories of such pollutants need to be formed and their characteristics need to be studied more which will help in combating the pollution.”
Dr. Aditi Shah while expressing her views on children’s health said “ Children’s respiratory systems and cognition can be maximally affected by continuous exposure to air pollution. Symptoms to look out for are shortness of breath, behavioural changes like sleepiness during the day, loss of focus, weak memory etc. There are several unlabeled hyperreactive airway diseases apart from asthma also being observed in children. As outdoor pollution is not in our hand, preventive measures can include limiting air pollution, children should be exposed to physical activity at least indoor for better development of their body systems and good nutrition and hydration for better immunity.”
Dr. Sharvari Rathod currently working on Allergies and Drug resistant disorders stated, “ Air pollution is a silent pandemic. 6.5 million people die every year due to air pollution. Air pollution is both outdoor and indoor. Common allergens indoor include dust and mites, pet dander, cockroach antigens etc. these allergens piggyback on certain outdoor pollutants like Sulphur Dioxide, Particulate Matter etc. and enter our lungs. People inhaling such air and especially people with predisposed health conditions are more prone to get allergies due to this. People with conditions like Tuberculosis impacted even more due to air pollution and exhibit aggravated symptoms”
Main takeaways from the discussion :
Biological contamination happens due to certain behavioural factors also like people feeding pigeons who carry infectious fungus. This can lead to Interstitial Lung Disease. Symptoms including Coughing, Shortness of breath, Mild Fever, Decreased Oxygen levels. This is a very serious issue because this condition is irreversible and goes on progressing. It is necessary to completely prevent this and thus People’s behaviour needs to be changed in such cases.
3-5% school kids in Mumbai are affected by Asthma.
Heat stress related disorders are on the rise due to global warming which is mainly caused by the increasing Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) released in air.
A recent study in Mumbai reveals a surprising fact about indoor pollution: a mosquito coil burning for 4-5 hours is equivalent to 100 cigarettes’ smoke.
Worldwide studies have linked air pollution to causing cancer conditions like Leukaemia.
About Waatavaran
Waatavaran is a Not-for-Profit social organisation registered under section 8 of Companies Act, 2013. It was founded in 2018 by environment nurturers with an aim to take tangible actions to protect the planet and its vulnerable communities. We believe in nurturing the symbiotic relationship that co-exists between humans and nature to create a climate just habitable environment for everyone. We are a Mumbai-based organisation which works hyper-locally to address climate change and its impact on the environment.