Air pollution biggest contributor to lung diseases, say experts at ASSOCHAM ‘Illness To Wellness’ Summit

New Delhi: On the second day of the ‘Illness to Wellness’ Summit organised by the ASSOCHAM Foundation for CSR, under the aegis of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), eminent medical practitioners shared their views on how air pollution has become a major source of lung diseases, besides playing a major part in exacerbating other ailments.

In a session titled ‘Depleting Air Quality Index: A Potent Threat to Health and Environment’ moderated by Dr. Karan Thakur, Vice President, Sustainability, ESG & Public Affairs, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, New Delhi, air pollution’s deadly impact was discussed to throw light on the gravity of the situation.

Speaking at the session, Dr. G.C. Khilnani, Chairman, PSRI Institute of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi, said, “The long-term effects of air pollution on lungs are very worrying. Around 30 years ago, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) meant nothing. Today, COPD is one of the leading causes of death and a major reason is air pollution.

"The number of patients being admitted to the emergency wards due to COPD diseases has also increased by over 20 per cent due to air pollution. Household air pollution also causes deaths, which not many people are aware of. Respiratory diseases have increased due to air pollution, and there is an urgent need to control air pollution in the summer months to ensure that air pollution woes do not impact people in the winter.”

Speaking at the same session, Dr. Vivek Nangia, Principal Director & Head, Institute of Respiratory, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine and Chief of Pulmonology, Cluster 1, Max Healthcare, said, “Air pollution also plays a part in aggravating the existing ailments. For instance, with diabetes, a correlation has been found with the duration of exposure to air pollution.

"So far, we have attributed the rise in diabetes patients to lifestyle issues, obesity, and diet issues. But now, a very preventive risk factor that is coming into play is air pollution. Studies have found that there has been a rise in diabetes patients after being continuously exposed to rising levels of air pollution. Sleep apnea is another big issue that people are facing due to air pollution.”

The ASSOCHAM Awareness Summit aims to disseminate information on identified and critical health-related issues, thereby fostering overall well-being.

The Summit featured more than 60 distinguished specialists and wellness professionals from the country. They shared their insights on various topics across nine sessions which delved into a range of subjects, such as healthcare workforce strengthening, nutrition, women’s health, mental health, sickle cell diseases, Ayush, elderly care, and the digital healthcare landscape.