Delhi Air Quality and Health Impacts
Delhi, India, has experienced recurrent air pollution, particularly affecting its child population. Medical facilities, such as a clinic in Noida, reported increased patient numbers exhibiting respiratory symptoms, including sneezing, coughing, and breathing difficulties. These symptoms became more prevalent from October onwards, coinciding with a decline in the capital's air quality.
Factors Contributing to Pollution
The air pollution in Delhi and northern India during winter results from multiple factors. These include low wind speeds, industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, decreasing temperatures, and the seasonal practice of crop stubble burning in adjacent states.
Air Quality Index Readings
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi has frequently registered between 300 and 400 in recent months. This measurement, which includes fine particulate matter (PM2.5), exceeds the World Health Organization's recommended limit by over 20 times. AQI readings above 400 are known to impact healthy individuals and severely affect those with pre-existing conditions. Children and the elderly are identified as the most vulnerable to high PM2.5 exposure. Hospitals across Delhi have reported an increase in pediatric patients with pollution-related illnesses.
Medical Observations and Government Response
Dr. Shishir Bhatnagar, a pediatrician in Noida, noted that airborne particles can influence a child's developing immune system. He stated that the incidence of such cases has increased significantly in recent years, rising from an average of 20-30% of patients to 50-70% during peak pollution periods.
The government implements annual emergency measures to mitigate smog, such as halting construction and restricting certain vehicles. Attempts were also made this year to induce artificial rain through cloud seeding, which did not yield success in easing the pollution crisis.
Parental Accounts and Health Concerns
One parent, Khushboo Bharti, 31, reported her one-year-old daughter Samaira's emergency hospitalization on November 13 due to a severe cough and vomiting. Samaira received steroid nebulization and oxygen support for two days and was subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia.
Another parent, Gopal, took his two-year-old daughter Renu to a government hospital for chest congestion. Medical personnel indicated that Renu might require inhalers.
Broader Health Implications
Research indicates that air pollution has significant health consequences for young children globally, including impaired development, reduced immunity, and lower cognitive function. A University of Cambridge study involving nearly 30 million individuals also linked exposure to specific pollutants with an increased risk of developing types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
Such health risks have led some Delhi parents, including Ms. Bharti, to consider relocating from the city.