Toxic pollutants in air posing serious health threats to population

Rawalpindi:The dusty air having high level of toxic pollutants is posing serious health threats to population in this region of the country particularly after a sharp fall in mercury while a number of seasonal ailment including colds, flu, throat infection along with serious respiratory tract infections have already taken shape of an epidemic.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Sunday has revealed that not less than 30 per cent of all patients including adults and children being presented to both the public and private healthcare facilities are suffering from upper or lower respiratory tract infections. The number of cases of pneumonia is also on a significant rise.

Dry cold and polluted air are the main factors behind the rise in incidences of RTIs. The winter season has set in yet there has not been any rain spell due to which the atmosphere is filled with toxic dust causing a number of ailments among residents. It is time for individuals to take extra care to avoid damages that the dust and chemicals in the air can cause, said Head of Infectious Diseases at Holy Family Hospital Professor Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’. He added that rain and heavy wind is needed to cleanse the air quality at the time.

In the absence of rain, the air is engulfed by dusty clouds, toxic metals and vapours containing a number of harmful chemicals. Vehicles, brick kilns and factories serve as a big source of air pollution. Dr. Mujeeb said to minimise the bad effects of toxic air, individuals must take precautionary measures. He said the infections including colds, sore throat, cough and flu that are hitting the population badly in the region are highly contagious. These are passed by tiny droplets produced during sneezing, coughing of infected persons and touching things with hands and tissues that others touch.

To minimise the bad effects of dusty and toxic air, people particularly those staying outside for longer periods of time should wear quality air filter masks that can filter out the harmful particles. One should not stay out of home or office unnecessarily and should cut down late nights and vigorous exercise for a few days and should stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, said Dr. Mujeeb. He suggested that one should take plenty of fluids, at least eight to 10 glasses of water a day, fruit juices and vegetable soups because these can minimize the harmful effects of toxic dust in the air. The fluids help loosen mucus. Chicken soup can also help loosen the mucus. One should gargle with warm saline water two to three times a day and use cough lozenges or cough syrup if needed to quite a dry cough, said Dr. Mujeeb.

It is important that the concerned government authorities have not been doing anything significant to control the increasing level of pollution in the air. Experts say that the concerned government authorities and other stakeholders should, at least, launch awareness campaigns to educate public on how to avoid bad effects of polluted air.