The air in the big cities of the country is continuously becoming poisonous and this is directly affecting the health of the people. Latest figures from the Health Ministry show that between 2022 and 2024, in Delhi alone, more than one lakh people had to go to hospital emergency services due to acute respiratory infection (Acute Respiratory Illness – ARI), in which thousands had to be admitted.
How many people got sick due to poisonous air?
Similarly, in Chennai and Mumbai also, during the days when pollution reached its peak, thousands of people reached hospitals due to difficulty in breathing. Doctors say that many patients suddenly deteriorate due to lack of oxygen or chest congestion.
Who are most at risk from poisonous air?
According to the Health Ministry, the effect of pollution is not the same on every person. Many factors like diet, profession, socio-economic status, immunity and medical history decide how much risk a person faces. People living in poor areas, working on roadsides and suffering from chronic diseases like asthma and allergies are being affected the most.
What is the government doing?
To control the situation and conduct real-time surveillance, the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has established more than 230 sentinel surveillance sites in 30 states and union territories. Digital monitoring of ARI has also been started from August 2023 through the Integrated Health Information Portal.
Amidst the increasing pollution, these figures are a warning that the air of the country is not only getting worse, it is directly affecting the lives of the people. Experts say that if the situation does not improve, the burden on hospitals and the number of serious patients may increase further in the coming years.
