New Delhi: With Delhi’s air pollution deteriorating, authorities of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML), a government hospital in the city, have decided to establish a special Out-Patient Department (OPD) for pollution-related illnesses. Dr Ajay Shukla, Director of RML Hospital said,
We have decided that a special OPD will run for pollution-related illnesses where comprehensive care can be given to the patients and will include a multi-departmental clinic because pollution affects multiple organs.
He said that a special OPD has been made in view of the rising number of patients because of pollution. He added,
Five departments, including ENT, skin, respiratory tract, eye, and psychiatric departments, will be there. The OPD will run on Monday afternoons from 2 pm to 4 pm. Special OPD has been made as there is almost a 30% rise in the number of patients because of pollution.
Also Read: How To Protect Children From The Impact Of Air Pollution
Meanwhile, following the pollution review meeting with the officers of the Environment Department at the Delhi Secretariat, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday announced that the anti-pollution measures under GRAP IV regulations will remain enforced in Delhi until the next order of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
Speaking to ANI after the meeting, Mr Rai said, “Anti-pollution measures under GRAP IV regulations will remain enforced in Delhi until the next order of CAQM. Under this, BS-III petrol vehicles and BS-IV diesel vehicles will remain banned.”
“All trucks, except those carrying essential goods and connected to essential services and CNG and electric trucks, will not be allowed to enter Delhi,” Mr Rai added.
Also Read: How To Protect Yourselves While Living In An Air Pollution Emergency?
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
