Govt urged to devise appropriate plan: Acute respiratory problems
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Different studies on health issues have suggested the government to develop appropriate health strategies to cope with the increasing risk of acute respiratory problems in Pakistan.
A recently developed national action plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Pakistan had emphasized the government to research into quantifying the magnitude and determinants of diseases attributed to indoor and outdoor air pollution responsible for the respiratory problems in the country in both urban and rural areas.
Respiratory problems are responsible for four of the top ten leading causes of death in the world like lower respiratory tract infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), tuberculosis and lung cancer.
Prevention of chronic respiratory diseases necessitates reduction or avoidance of personal exposure to risk factors like direct or indirect exposure to tobacco smoke, exposure to air pollution to toxic agents, exposure to common allergens, malnutrition, low birth weight and multiple early lung infections.
Indoor air pollution in the form of smoke and solid fuel combustion from traditional fuels/coal and organic compounds in the modern buildings are important risk factors for such diseases.
Similarly, outdoor air pollution, according to the action plan, was a major issue in the country, especially in the crowded metropolitan areas. In many cities, air pollution levels are known to have crossed safe limits whereas in other cities, they have reached the threshold limits.
Particulate matter in large cities is largely derived from vehicular and industrial emissions, burning of solid waste, brick kilns and natural dusts. The plan also cited a recently conducted ambient air quality study to examine the pollution levels in traffic congested areas in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Karachi. The study revealed that the average suspended particulate matter in our cities was 6.4 times higher than WHO guidelines and 3.8 times higher than Japanese guidelines.
This raises serious concerns relating to the risks that such pollution levels pose to the health status of populations, it said.
A number of factors can be held accountable for this pattern, the plan said, adding that foremost among them being increased traffic load, bad road conditions, unpaved roadsides and other natural and mobile sources.
The number of vehicles in Pakistan has already increased from 0.8 million to over 4 million within last 20 years, showing an overall increase of 388 per cent within an annual compound growth per annum of 12 per cent. Over the last two decades, maximum growth has been seen in two stroke-vehicles, which are known to be the major source of particulate matter because of use of inferior quality lubricants. Diesel vehicles also emit excessive graphite carbon (visible smoke). Besides, high content of lead in gasoline also contributes to this.
