Islamabad reports an increase in the spread of lung diseases among the people owing to the rise in pollution due to the ongoing mega projects and the dry weather conditions in the capital.
The government hospitals in the twin cities reported an increase in patient admission in the pulmonary wards as they suffer from pulmonary diseases including chronic cough, pneumonia, allergy, and acute respiratory distress syndrome due to the increasing pollution and the persistent dry weather.
Health professionals attribute lung disease increase to the declining air quality index primarily due to the dust and pollution caused by unplanned developmental projects and the dry weather in winter.
The former PIMS official, Prof. Khalid Masood said that the cold weather and the increasing pollutants like smoke and dust exacerbate cough, asthma, and other pulmonary disease symptoms, especially in children and adults as they damage our lungs slowly and delay the recovery process.
He further said that people should avoid the irrational use of medicines, especially antibiotics as it results in developing antimicrobial resistance, and the resistant bacteria thus spread from person to person, worsening the recovery process.
The medical experts advise the people residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to avoid going outside unnecessarily, especially in the morning and the evening, to wear masks, and to keep themselves warm. They further recommend people seek immediate medical assistance in case of persistent symptoms for more than a week.
The primary symptoms of respiratory diseases include chronic persistent cough, wheezing, breathing difficulties, chest tightness, and flu-like symptoms.