1st July, Kolkata: Commemorating the spirits of the doctors and health care workers, SwitchON Foundation organized a webinar on 1st July, 2022 to discuss the impact of air pollution. The virtual event was attended by a group of concerned doctors from the city, active citizens and students from schools, colleges along with medical college students across West Bengal.
Speaking at the event, Vinay Jaju MD SwitchON Foundation said “Doctors have first-hand experience of the health ill-effects of air pollution, we pay attention and listen to them when they declare air pollution as the most important health threat and emergency. While COVID’s impact can be seen immediately, air pollution is a silent killer and that is why it is even more dangerous than COVID”
Addressing the medical students attending the event who are also part of the SwitchON Medical Students Ambassador Programme. Dr Arup Halder, Consultant Pulmonologist, Woodlands Multispeciality Hospitals said “Being a doctor brings you many new challenges every day and one such challenge is to keep fighting for the health of your patients in an ever increasingly polluted environment. In the coming days, based on the current existing scenario, air pollution is evolving as the biggest catastrophe of our times, therefore there is good reason to understand the dynamics of its impact.”
He further added “In terms of deaths, India ranks first globally related to Asthma deaths and second related to COPD deaths. Though in other countries COPD is known as a disease of the smokers. But in India we see the majority of ‘non-smoking COPD’. So, in our country the major risk factors for COPD are – ambient air pollution, household air pollution and occupational air pollution.”
On this significant day, SwitchON Foundation shared findings of a survey conducted based on a health analysis for a group of 75 Autorickshaw Drivers in Kolkata. The study was done as a part of a Health Camp organized on 19th June, 2022 at Jadavpur, Kolkata with support of medical practitioners & volunteers from SAMSA, CIPLA and in partnership with INTTUC, under the guidance of Dr Arup Haldar.
Occupational exposure to outdoor air pollution is a particular concern, because of the enormousness of the exposed population. As per WLO all workers, including those working outdoors, should enjoy the right to favorable working conditions and to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
The study revealed that the majority of the autorickshaw drivers reported symptoms of severe eye irritation, Shortness of Breath, Cough, Chest Discomfort and Pain. The symptoms are even more critical among drivers above 50 years.
- Shortness of Breath Among Auto Drivers – 36% Auto drivers, aged 50 & above is suffering from Shortness of Breath. As compared to 20% below the age of 50 years.
- Tendency towards heart ailments – 100% of the drivers above 50 years of age admitted to having heart problems who were nonsmokers.
- Chest discomfort– One third (⅓) of the respondents admitted to having chest Discomfort.
- Eye irritation – 88% of the respondents admitted to have eye irritation
Traffic-related pollutants like carbon monoxide, benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals have a negative impact on human health. The concentrations of PAHs or heavy metals in the urban air are substantial and their effect on health could be considerable, including rise in morbidity for respiratory diseases among urban area inhabitants which may be a consequence of the situation mentioned.
Majority of the autorickshaws run on LPG. Unfortunately, LPG is not as clean as it is perceived. According to a study by TERI in 2018, an average conventional LPG auto emits approximately 0.005 tonnes of particulate matter-10 (PM10) in a year and about 3.72 tonnes of carbon dioxide in a year. On the other hand, electric auto-rickshaws (e-autos) provide zero tailpipe emission and no-noise solution while meeting the mobility needs of people.
As per researchers, the ambient air quality in Kolkata, the streets are dominated by Diesel and Petrol Operated Vehicles which occupy the biggest share of Kolkata’s vehicle count. As per The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), vehicular emission and traffic-related air pollution is a risk factor for lung cancer. Occupational exposure to air pollution among professional drivers has significantly increased the mortality rate through lung cancer. Benzene, asbestos, formaldehyde, radon and involuntary smoking are considered as Class I (carcinogenic to humans) carcinogens present in air pollution, as per IARC.
“There is a significant association between traffic-related air pollution exposure and symptoms of neurobehavioral disorder. Particularly for outdoor community-dwelling and school-age children. Chronic low-level exposure to traffic-related air pollution might have a negative impact on children’s neurobehavioral function.” – Dr Kaustav Choudhury, Pediatric Consultant, Apollo Gleneagles Hospital.
Given that, Kolkata was the second most polluted metro city in India and 60th most polluted city in the world in 2021 out of 6,475 cities in 117 countries. (2021 World Air Quality Report, IQAir), it makes absolute sense to shift Kolkata’s existing transport system towards a cleaner system. Having a zero-tailpipe emission policy through electric vehicles is the need of the hour along with promoting cycles, clean and convenient public transport.
Positioned as an affordable means of intermediate public transportation over short-to-medium distances, the three-wheeler segment is generally considered as low hanging fruit in electric vehicle adoption on account of its ubiquitous appeal. A shift towards EVs also presents a lucrative opportunity for West Bengal to reduce its carbon footprint, given the Government of West Bengal’s vision to attain its 2030 vision of becoming a Carbon Neutral State. The government has a plan to promote electric autos and it should look to ramp it up quickly across the city, making it the first city in to do.
Quotes from some other Doctors attending the webinar today:
- “Air pollution may impair neurodevelopment and cognitive ability and can trigger asthma and childhood cancer. It can also predispose children to adverse health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease later in life”. – Dr Abhijit Sarkar Paed , Lead Consultant, Pediatric & Neonatal Medicine
- “Our focus on lung well being is not just to reduce the incidence of allergic & inflammatory lung conditions leading to respiratory distress, but also to eliminate the bigger killer, lung cancer, which has a markedly poor prognosis.” Dr Surendri Bannerjee, Resident, Radiation Oncology , IPGMER & SSKM Hospital, Kolkata.
- “Now, there is enough epidemiologic and experimental evidence of the genotoxic and mutagenic effects of air pollution on human DNA, which is a key cancer driver.” – Dr. MV Chandrakanth , Consultant Medical Oncology, NH Narayana Superspeciality Hospitals Howrah
- “The Lancet Commission (2020) has recognized air pollution as a risk factor for dementia. While prolonged exposure can cause permanent brain damage of the person exposed” – Dr Sanjukta Dutta, Consultant and head, Emergency Medicine, Fortis hospital, Kolkata
- “Given widespread recognition that lung cancer is highly fatal, the IARC conclusion may prove a more powerful motivator.” – Dr Suman Mallick Clinical Director, Chief of Radiation Oncology, NH Narayana Superspeciality Hospital.
Annex:
Health Study of Auto Drivers in Kolkata
A Health Camp was organized on 19th June, 2022 at Jadavpur, Kolkata with support of medical practitioners & volunteers from SAMSA, CIPLA and in partnership with INTTUC, under the guidance of Dr Arup Haldar, Pulmonologist, Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital. The event registered participation of around 75 auto-rickshaw drivers who talked about their personal experience around health ailments.
Chronic Health Problems experienced by Auto Drivers.
- Shortness of Breath Among Auto Drivers – 36% Auto drivers, aged 50 & above is suffering from Shortness of Breath. As compared to 20% below the age of 50 years.
- Tendency towards heart ailments – 100% of the drivers above 50 years of age admitted to having heart problems who were nonsmokers.
- Chest discomfort– One third (⅓) of the respondents admitted to having chest Discomfort.
- Eye irritation – 88% of the respondents admitted to have eye irritation
Way Forward:
- Engage with autorickshaw unions and sensitize them on health impacts of air pollution and precautions to be maintained. Generate an awareness to increase the habit of using masks to avoid direct contact with polluted air.
- Organize regular health camps to have an idea of the present condition of the lungs for vulnerable segments. Adopting zero emission policy by introducing Electronic Vehicles.
Media Dossier
Contact: Vinay Jaju | M: +91 9331178105 | Email: VJ@SwitchON.org.in
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