Delhi’s Air Killers: Patient numbers in RML Hospital’s pollution OPD spike as capital’s smog season begins

Patients complain of burning eyes, difficulty in breathing, cough, pain in throat and chest; doctors advise staying at home
RML Hospital’s pollution OPD spike as capital’s smog season begins
The number of patient footfalls has increased in the Air Pollution OPD of Delhi's RML Hospital due to the start of smog seasonBhagirath / CSE
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Huma, who lives in Delhi’s Yamuna Vihar, is at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital with her 12-year-old son Johan and 19-year-old daughter Tanya. Delhi’s air has been giving Tanya a hard time for the last few days. Her eyes are watering continuously and she is coughing a lot. Apart from this, she also has chest pain and a blocked nose.

It has become an annual ritual for Tanya. Every year, as soon as Delhi’s air pollution worsens, her health takes a dip. Huma’s son Johan also has the same problems as Tanya. Huma herself has been experiencing a burning sensation in her eyes.

Huma had come to see the doctor in the general outpatient department (OPD) of the hospital in the morning. But when the doctors saw the symptoms she and her children were exhibiting, they advised her to visit the pollution-related disease prevention centre or Air Pollution OPD, where she could meet all specialist doctors in one place.  The OPD is open every Monday from 2 pm to 4 pm.

70-year-old Roshan Lal from Alipur in Delhi is sitting outside this OPD, waiting for his turn. When the air pollution situation in the national capital turns severe, he experiences shortness of breath along with cough and a lot of mucus discharge from the throat.

Roshan Lal told Down To Earth (DTE) that although he has minor problems throughout the year, this time it has increased a lot. He is an asthma patient. The foul air has made his situation worse.

People from different parts of Delhi are at the OPD with problems caused by air pollution like irritation in the eyes, difficulty in breathing, cough, runny nose, blocked throat, etc.

The Air Pollution OPD at RML Hospital is the first such OPD in India. It was started in November last year in view of the serious situation of air pollution around Diwali. The OPD has started again from October 21 this year.

RML Hospital’s pollution OPD spike as capital’s smog season begins
Patients sitting outside the Air Pollution OPD in RML HospitalBhagirath / CSE

Medical Superintendent of RML Hospital, Ajay Shukla, said the objective of the OPD is to create awareness about air pollution among the masses.

He explained that air pollution affects people in different ways. On some, the effects are immediately visible. On others they are felt only when the situation becomes serious. Meanwhile, there are also those on whom the effects are not noticeable at all. They become so only after many years.

Not many people came to the OPD last year as it had just begun, and people did not even know about it. “It was closed in December-January last year. On average only 4-7 patients used to come. But this year, there is an increase in the number of patients,” Shukla told DTE.

The OPD can operate daily as more patients come to it and the number of doctors can also be increased. Shukla advises that children and the elderly should especially avoid leaving the house during Delhi’s period of air emergency. Young people also need to be careful.

“Avoid exercise until the air quality improves because during exercise, breathing becomes faster, and more air reaches the lungs. Too much air reaching the lungs means inhaling poisonous air,” said Shukla. He added that air pollution can also increase psychiatric ailments like depression. Hence, it was better to limit one’s activities.

Pulin Gupta, Professor of Medicine at RML Hospital, said the OPD was operating last year on a trial basis. But this year, it has been started operating at full capacity. At the same time, OPD in-charge and respiratory disease specialist Amit Suri said, “Now, this OPD will not be closed. It will be run regularly throughout the year as the problem of air pollution is felt across all months.”

Suri further explained that ENT and respiratory disease specialists, dermatologists and psychiatrists sit together in the OPD as the nature of patients’ problems necessitates their presence.

Currently, most patients are arriving with breathing problems. Suri said the most severe air pollution occurred before sunrise and after sunset. Hence, it was better not to go out during this time.

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