Spread of diseases during monsoon amid high air pollution more likely

Spread of diseases during monsoon amid high air pollution more likely 

Anjali Subedi 

Kathmandu, June 17: 

 

The pollution in the Valley has increased manifold and reached an alarming level compared to 2008.The rainy season makes the matter worse in terms of health and hygiene of the people, warns a senior doctor. “While air pollution leads to bronchitis and many other health complications in the long run, it is difficult to prevent stomach infections during monsoon amid such a high pollution all around,” said senior chest physician Dr Dirgha Singh Bam.

“Look at the conditions of the roads when it rains heavily. Children and elderly become most vulnerable to water-borne diseases in such situation,” he added.  When recorded last on March 13 by the Ministry of Environment, the air pollution levels at Thamel, Putalisadak, Machchhegaun and Bhaktapur were 284, 427, 103 and 277 UG/MG3 respectively.

Before that the air pollution levels in those areas were recorded in 2008, when the figures ranged between 120 and 135 UG/M3. As the pollution level varies everyday, the highest pollution level recorded at Putalisadak was on March 20 this year, when it was found to be 599 UG/MG3, making it the most polluted area in the city.

According to a senior chemist at the ministry Surendra Subedi, the level of fine particles in the air with diameters less or equal to 10 micrometer is known as PM10. The national standard of pollutant PM10 is 120 microgram per cubic meter (UG/M3 - chemical vapors, fumes, or dust in the ambient air as a measurable value unit). “Due to some technical reasons, we are still not able to operate all the stations though,” he said.

The stations were established by the ministry in 2002 with a grant of Rs 60 million from the Denmark government. By 2008, the stations turned dysfunctional and were brought back to life just a few months ago. “The pollution level it is recording now is highly alarming as compared to 2008,” Subedi said.  The stations in Patan and Kirtipur still need some repairing. However, the pollution level recorded in the above mentioned 4 places are alarming enough and the valley residents must use mask to avoid harm, suggests Bam.

“For those living in the core areas of Kathmandu, I suggest that they start looking for better options so that they do not develop serious health issues in future,” he insisted.

Bam suggests that if normal cough, dry cough, swelling of hands and legs, eye irritation or any other conditions persists, the person should visit a doctor. During the rainy season, there might be added problems related to stomach as well. “These might be symptoms of the mild effect of pollution. But if one ignores the health condition, it might take a serious toll on one´s health. Similarly, the disturbed condition of the valley roads make it easier for water borne diseases to spread. It is high time the valley residents took their health and hygiene seriously,” he said.

High concentrations of pollutants in the lower atmosphere are indeed prime health risks to the valley residents, as also stated by a study done by ICIMOD. Its report published in 2011 says respiratory diseases among Kathmandu residents have grown over the years. The study conducted from 2009 to 2011 at various places in Kathmandu thus calls for immediate steps to check the air pollution. According to the study, the rapid increase in urbanization in the Kathmandu valley and the accompanying growth in the number of vehicles are responsible for the increased level of polluting gases and solid particulate matter in the air.

Hardest hit by the air pollution are none other than the traffic police personnel, who have to spend over 15 hours on road. “There are above 4.5 million people in Kathmandu. Over 7,00,000 vehicles ply on the road. There is no modern technology for traffic management. Around 1000 traffic personnel work round the clock to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. There is no account of the damage we suffer in terms of health,” lamented DSP Pawan Giri, spokesperson at the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD).

In a recently published report of the traffic, 127 traffic police were found to suffer from chest infection and common cold out of 355 who went for a medical check up. The free health camp was organized after the MTPD found its staff increasingly suffering from air-borne diseases. In the camp, jointly organized by the police division and Sumeru Hospital, 97 traffic police were found to be suffering from orthopaedic problems. Twenty-five women traffic staff had abdominal issues, 31 others were detected with reproductive health issues and 15 traffic police had neurological disorder.

“The traffic staff works without medicated mask. Some organizations occasionally provide such things, which is done just for some popularity. But overall, traffic is working in pathetic conditions. The government has shown no concern toward their health,” Giri said. “It needs separate budget to improve these matters. Traffic staff work longer hours than civil servants but their salaries are at the same level. It´s not fair,” he added.

At least 50 traffic police personnel get ill on a daily basis due to the workload, according to Giri. “They generally have headache, respiratory and allergic problems. Working amid such a high level of air pollution is of course taking a toll on our health. But we hardly have any choice.” On the other hand, Bam asserted that the traffic police needs to be extremely serious about their health as they are at very high risk. “Medicated mask is must for them,” he said. 

 

Source:My Republica