Asthma is on the rise in Gujarat, blame the growing pollution

Blame rising levels of pollution in the state for recent increase in cases of asthma, a chronic lung disease which is estimated to have affected about 300 million people world-wide.

According to a recent report on pollution, Gujarat - the second most polluted state in India after Uttar Pradesh - has nine places
including Ankleshwar, Vapi, Vatva, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Junagarh, Vadodara, Rajkot and Surat which have reached an alarming level of pollution. And allergy experts say that rising level of pollution is emerging as one of the key factors behind the rapid rise of asthmatic cases in the state.

While commemorating  World Asthma Day today, the dire need is to follow the latest guidelines issued by World Health Organisation to curb the rising cases of asthma world-wide, say experts.

WHO's recent guidelines issued to medicos the world over on May 3 asks the local authorities to keep a tab on rising pollution levels, as well as instructs the medicos to tell patients that regular follow-up and proper medication can cut hospitalisation cases down to 50 per cent by 2015.       

Dr. Narendra Raval, president for Gujarat State Chest Physicians' Association, said, "Growing levels of industrialisation, urbanisation and increase in pollution have affected the recent rise in asthmatic cases." According to Dr. Raval, asthma cases have almost doubled in the last 10 years.

"In recent years due to urbanisation and air pollution, the prevalence of asthma has increased. It has been projected that cases of asthma will rise to 100 million more by 2025.
And about 2,50,000 people die prematurely every year from this disease. WHO's latest guidelines insist  that to curb this rise, a good patient-doctor partnership is a must."

In 2005, after the new, stricter guidelines were implemented in Gujarat, the cases of asthma decreased slightly. However, with increase in infrastructural and construction projects in the city and in peripheral towns, cases of asthma have been rapidly in 2009-10.

Medicos say that pollution increases new asthmatic occurrences and also contributes to rise of asthmatic episodes in patients. Dr. Parthiv Mehta, an allergy expert and pulmonologist said, 
"Due to rising levels of air-borne triggers derived from vehicular pollution, industrial pollution and most importantly construction related pollutants, the number of asthmatic cases have registered a marked increase in the state in recent years," Mehta added.

Dr. Tushar Patel, a medico holding a series of asthma awareness camps in the city, said, "Asthma cases have also upped due to lack of awareness. We have organised awareness camps during April 26 to May 4 mainly to brief patients that asthma can be moderately controlled and cured.”