In Pakistan over 1.91 million people have been admitted to state institutions over the past fortnight, highlighting the disastrous effects of harmful air pollution. Pakistan’s Punjab province, where dust and poor air quality have made the country’s Punjab state a public health emergency.
Institutions across Punjab have been overwhelmed, with Lahore recording the highest number of cases. More than 75 000 people were forced to seek medical care in one day by dangerous dust, which added strain to the system. Over the past month, Lahore only reported 133, 429 pulmonary disease situations, including 5, 577 asthma sufferers. Also, 5, 455 of the 13, 862 brain disease situations and 491 of the 5, 141 injury cases in the state were treated in Lahore. The problems escalated in the past year, with 449, 045 breathing cases reported, along with 30, 146 asthma cases, 2, 225 brain disease people, and 1, 400 stroke patients.
The government has taken some crisis measures, including shutting schools, colleges, and gardens, limiting business hours, and imposing bans on polluting vehicles and business activities. Despite these actions, air value in places like Lahore and Multan continues to deteriorate. Lahore’s Air Quality Index ( AQI ) consistently exceeds hazardous levels, often surpassing 1, 000, while Multan recently recorded an alarming AQI of over 2, 000.
People are struggling to cope with the smog’s health consequences. For some, staying indoors offers much comfort, and air purifiers remain costly luxuries. Authorities in Lahore and Multan have also implemented a three-day lockdown in order to reduce pollution, with orders to similar public and private schools until November 24. However, these methods have brought minimal relief.
The demands of medical professionals are extreme. Physicians report a substantial increase in people, especially children and the elderly, suffering from breathing problems, coughing fits, and eye irritation. ” This year, dust amounts are much worse, and the number of affected people is much greater”, said Dr Qurat la Ain, a health professional in Lahore. She advises people to avoid outside exposure and wearing masks.
The smog’s major causes include commercial emissions, auto exhaust, and annual agricultural grass burning, exacerbated by sluggish weather conditions. Weather advocate Alia Haider criticized the lack of long-term solutions and called the city” stuck in its own poison.” Millions of people are still in danger as Pakistan’s big cities continue to be covered in smog and are awaiting important solutions to the country’s growing environmental crisis.
