The national capital has been witnessing a thick layer of mist surrounding the city for the last one week due to ‘Severe’ air pollution, thus erupting health concerns for the residents. Some other metropolitans also have witnessed moderate air quality in the moderate category. According to a top health expert at AIIMS, Delhi, there is scientific evidence to establish a relationship between air pollution and various kinds of cancer. Besides severely affecting the respiratory system, air pollution may also cause coronary artery diseases like heart attack, brain stroke, and arthritis.
"It is important to understand that air pollution affects various systems of the body, apart from causing respiratory diseases. Pollution has direct relations with coronary artery diseases like heart attack, brain stroke, and arthritis. We have scientific evidence that establishes its relationship with different types of cancer," Dr Piyush Ranjan (Additional Professor, Department of Medicine, AIIMS), said.
Does pollution affect pregnancy?
According to the expert, the severe amount of air pollution can also have ill effects on the foetus. Senior Lung specialist, Medanta Hospital Dr Arvind Kumar said that people of all age groups are affected by it including those who are unborn and are presently in their mother’s womb.
“All age groups are adversely affected by air pollution. You might wonder how an unborn child is affected because that child is not breathing. When the child's mother is breathing, the toxins go to her lungs; through the lungs, they go into the blood; and through the placenta, they reach the child, and the fetus, and cause damage... When the child is born, they start breathing the same air. Our air quality is around 450–500, which is equal to about 25–30 cigarettes in terms of damage to the body... They have all sorts of breathing problems,” the doctor explained.
According to the experts, air pollution causes massive damage to the brain and heart and have the potential to trigger anxiety, irrespective of the age group if no precaution is taken.
The national capital witnessed no respite from the toxic air it has been breathing for the past several days as the city woke up to an air quality index of 410 on Sunday (November 5), which falls under the ‘Severe’ category.
(With ANI inputs)
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