Escape Delhi if you can afford it

Come winter, India’s capital region is shrouded in a thick gray fog that blankets the streets, obliterates buildings and, most importantly, seeps into the lungs. In recent days, the city’s average air quality index dropped to the “very poor” category (301-400), indicating a problem for residents of Delhi, India.

Now, one of D.C.’s most respected lung specialists is telling the public bluntly: If you can afford to leave, you should. He especially urges those with chronic lung or heart disease to consider moving to the worst months of smog season.

A senior doctor advises Delhi residents to escape

in interview Pulmonologist Gopi Chand Khilnani, head of the PSRI Institute of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, revealed with the Indian Express that complaints of shortness of breath and related illnesses have increased significantly in recent days as air quality deteriorates in the Indian capital. Moreover, he noted, the advice is clear for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart disease: If you have the means, leaving Delhi for six to eight weeks during the peak smog season can help avoid serious risks.

Dr. Khilnani stressed that a large part of his concern lies in the damage caused by long-term exposure. He noted that in his hospital practice, many patients whose condition had been stable with medications suddenly deteriorated in recent days, and some required oxygen or even admission to intensive care units. Moreover, the stark truth he presented was grim as he said:

“My children and grandchildren have the option to move, and I would never advise them to come to Delhi-the national capital.”

Health losses caused by pollution in Delhi

Exposure to ambient air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) is more than just a short-term inconvenience. It has long-term, measurable effects on lung capacity, immunity, and even lifespan. Dr. Khilnani pointed to a study conducted by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) and the Air Quality for Life Index (AQLI) which estimated that the average citizen in Delhi loses nearly 12 years of life expectancy due to pollution. He explained the terrifying mechanism by which fine particulate matter, especially PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns or less) and ultrafine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream and travel to the heart, brain, kidneys and intestines.

Historically, smoking It was responsible for approximately 90% of COPD cases and 80% of lung cancer cases. But now in India, 50% of COPD cases are attributable to indoor and outdoor air pollution, and about 40% of lung cancer patients have never smoked. Beyond the lungs, Dr. Al-Khalnani pointed out that pollution is linked to an increase in the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even more serious forms of autoimmune or rheumatic diseases.

What can Delhiites do to protect themselves?

Not everyone has the option of leaving Delhi when the smog deepens. So for those who remain, Dr. Khilnani believes that using good quality indoor air purifiers may provide some relief. But he warns that its effectiveness depends on use, and advises that the purification device cover the size of the room, face the user, and operate continuously, and the room must remain closed, otherwise its benefits will be nullified. He also noted that even the World Health Organization does not endorse the use of air purifiers as a definitive health treatment, but they may help elderly patients or those with serious lung or heart diseases.

As people wait for long-term policy solutions that the government has reportedly failed to deliver, the veteran lung specialist’s message has become urgent. If Delhiites have the financial means, moving temporarily during peak pollution may not just be an option, it could be a lifeline. Pollution in Delhi is an annual disaster caused by multiple factors, most notably the burning of crop residues in the surrounding states of Haryana and Punjab, which various governments including the current one in power have been unable to curb despite promises made to the public.

Originally published on IB Times UK