Air pollution
Nine out of ten people now breathe polluted air,
which kills 7 million people every year, according to the World Health
Organization (WHO). And it’s just not outdoor air pollution; household (indoor)
air pollution also causes 4 million deaths annually.
Air pollution has now emerged as a major
environmental risk factor for health; particulate matter (PM 2.5/10), ozone
(O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are pollutants with the
strongest evidence for public health concern. It not only contributes to
chronic illnesses but also acute cardiovascular and respiratory
events such as stroke, heart attack, acute asthma attack and acute
exacerbation of COPD. The WHO further says, “The health effects of air
pollution are serious – one third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer and heart
disease are due to air pollution. This is having an equivalent effect to that
of smoking tobacco, and much higher than, say, the effects of eating too much
salt.”
As per WHO data, in terms of PM2.5, 14 Indian
cities figured in the list of 20 most polluted cities in the world in 2016; in
terms of PM10 levels, 13 cities in India were among the 20 most-polluted cities
of the world in the same year. Air pollution in Delhi, the national capital, is
now perennial and persists in the severe category. There seems to be no answer
to this conundrum.
In addition, air pollution is a major contributor
to climate change (global warming), which also affects health in different
ways.
Global influenza
pandemic
The world will face another influenza pandemic
as predicted by the WHO. This occurs when a new influenza virus hits the world
and affects people who are not immune to it. Flu is widespread in the US; so
far there have been more than 20 million flu illnesses and more than 25,000 flu
deaths since the season began in October last year (CDC).
India, particularly Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat is in
the midst of its flu season; H1N1 (swine flu) is the predominant strain that is
causing 70%-90% of seasonal flu infections. The National Centre for Disease
Control has reported 14,803 confirmed H1N1cases across states till February 24,
with 448 deaths.
Antimicrobial resistance
Easy over the counter availability of antibiotics
and lack of awareness about correct usage of antibiotic drugs are among
factors that have contributed to antibiotic resistance in the country. Also,
the prevalence of multi-drug resistant infections is rising in the country. As
per Global TB report 2017, estimated number of multi drug resistant (MDR) TB
patients are 6,01,000 globally, of which 147000 (1/4th) are estimated from
India. Treatment of MDR-TB or rifampicin-resistant-TB is prolonged and entails
use of more expensive drugs.
Dengue
India is no stranger to Dengue and the disease is
endemic in almost all states. Every year, mostly during monsoons, dengue
affects thousands of people across the country. Dengue outbreaks in India have
become more frequent, especially in the urban areas. Delhi is hyperendemic for
dengue. What is of more concern is that it has spread to new regions, such as
Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, where dengue was historically
non-existent (Emerg Microbes Infect. 2017 Aug; 6(8): e70).
Cricket World Cup
anxiety
ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is scheduled to be held
in England in May this year. Cricket is not just a sport; it is a religion in
India, where billions watch their team play, as one. It’s also a huge business
now. And every match that India plays is likely to cause many anxious moments
to the viewers.
Nipah
In May last year, Nipah virus disease was reported
from in Kerala. The Government said that “this was not a major outbreak. It is
only a local occurrence” (PIB). Nipah is a potentially life-threatening
illness. It is an emerging zoonotic disease of public health importance.
Will Nipah strike again?
Hearing aid from ear
phone use
Constant exposure to loud noise can cause high
frequency sensory neural hearing loss. Ear phone users are at risk of
developing hearing loss and be candidates for hearing aids. This is especially
true for young people who constantly use headphones and earphones for listening
to high decibel music. Listening to music at 110-120 dB damages the hearing in
less than an hour and a half.
An exposure of 90 dB (which is equivalent to the
noise made by a power lawn mower or passing motorcycle) is allowed for 8 hours,
95 dB for 4 hours, 100 dB only for 2 hours, 105 dB ( power mower) for one hour
and 130 dB for (live rock music) 20 minutes.
Ayushman Bharat
Around 14 lakh people have reportedly benefitted
from Ayushman Bharat or Pradhan Mantri Jan Aryogya Yojana (PMJAY) scheme
since it was launched in September 2018. And, the government has spent Rs 1800
cr for this. The future of this scheme may depend on the parliamentary
elections. If BJP returns to power, the scheme may emerge even bigger; but if
it does not return to power, will Ayushman Bharat be repealed and replaced?
Digital illnesses
The constant of smartphones, tablets, and computers
has spawned a whole new set of diseases. Terms like “text claw,” “Blackberry
thumb,” “cellphone elbow”, “tech neck” are becoming common and represent
medical conditions arising out of overuse of mobile phones. Fauxcellarm (“Phantom
Ringing”), “Technoference” (digital interference in relationships) are few more
such conditions.
Prolonged use of mobile phone can also cause neck
pain, dry eyes, computer vision syndrome, and insomnia. About 60% of youth
between 20 and 30 years of age fear losing their mobile phone, a condition
called nomophobia ((“No-Mobile-Phobia”). Dependence on technology is adversely
affecting our memory, attention span.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has now
included video game addictions as “Internet Gaming Disorder” in its latest
revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). It described
the addiction as a ‘pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior’ that
becomes so extensive it ‘takes precedence over other life interests’.
War
Recent events have placed India at the brink of
war. A further escalation in hostilities is envisaged. But will there be a
full-blown war? We hope not.
War causes tremendous destruction. Economy is
negatively affected, infrastructure is damaged, there is scarcity of food and
other resources, people lose their homes and become “refugees” in their own
countries. Besides physical health, psychological trauma due to war has
long-lasting effects.
Fake news
Fake news is a word in vogue today. It was also
named word of the year in 2017. Fake news is deliberate misinformation and
disinformation not only in the social media but also in the regular mainstream
media. The intent is to mislead. There should be a law against fake news as it
can generate social unrest in the community and polarize society into groups.
Agitations may be an unwanted consequence of fake news.
Dr KK
Aggarwal
Padma
Shri Awardee
President
Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania (CMAAO)
Group
Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President
Heart Care Foundation of India
Past
National President IMA
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