Guest Blog by Sayantan Sarkar
On our recent visit to Ahmedabad, we caught up with Dr. Khyati Kakkad, a renowned pediatrician at the LG Hospital—a municipal hospital in the heart of the city. The LG Hospital treats thousands of patients daily, many of who are from economically weaker, more vulnerable sections of the city. We are thankful to Dr. Kakkad for meeting us and sharing her perspectives on how air pollution is affecting her young patients.
Question (Q): Dr Kakkad, thank you so much for meeting us. As a pediatrician, why are you worried about air pollution?
Dr. Khyati Kakkad: I work with infants and young children. This age is critical for the overall development of the child. Air pollution can seriously damage young children’s lung functions. Their lungs are in their formative stages and can undergo irreparable damage as many global studies have shown. Recent research also points at air pollution impeding brain development in young children. This is very worrying.
Q: Do you come across patients affected by air pollution? What are some of the common symptoms that you see?
Dr. Khyati Kakkad: Over the years I have observed that an increasing number of patients come to me with respiratory issues. I am seeing increasing numbers of non-viral respiratory problems in my patients. More cases are emerging where air way obstruction is the main problem. I am also seeing more extreme episodes of respiratory problems – especially during winters. The symptoms include vigorous coughing, fast breathing and breathlessness. It is especially difficult for very young kids, who cannot verbally communicate what they are going through.
I am also seeing more extreme episodes of respiratory problems—especially during winters. The symptoms include vigorous coughing, fast breathing and breathlessness. It is especially difficult for very young kids, who cannot verbally communicate what they are going through.
Q: How do the families of your patients cope?
Dr. Khyati Kakkad: It’s challenging for the families. Many of my patients are from economically weaker sections. The cost of treatment can sometimes be very high relative to their incomes—even at a low-cost facility like ours. It takes a toll on the family’s earnings. For the child, it also impedes his/her education as there can be increased absenteeism from school if the problem persists. And honestly, it’s hard for these families to take good precautions. They cannot afford to buy air purifiers, or even live in well ventilated homes.
The cost of treatment can sometimes be very high relative to their incomes—even at a low-cost facility like ours. It takes a toll on the family’s earnings.
Q: So, in this situation with poor air quality, what precautions do you advise your patients to take?
Dr. Khyati Kakkad: I tell parents to not take children outside during mornings and evenings – when the pollution levels are higher. Even for hospital visits, I ask them to come only in the afternoons. I tell them to avoid crowded places. It is important that the patients have MDI (asthma relief drug) handy. Masks are something I would like to advise, but it sometimes becomes a stigma. Plus, we need to educate people better about the different types and ensure availability of good quality masks at affordable prices.
Q: How do your patients learn about air pollution levels? Are they aware of the SAFAR Air Quality Index?
Dr. Khyati Kakkad: The SAFAR AQI is definitely a useful tool. I am glad the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is engaging on the issue of air pollution and looking to find solutions before the air quality gets worse and reaches the hazardous levels we are seeing in Delhi these days. Unfortunately, among my patients the awareness about SAFAR AQI is limited. I try to share as much information with them as possible.
The SAFAR AQI is definitely a useful tool. I am glad the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is engaging on the issue of air pollution and looking to find solutions.
Q: What can be done to improve communication of the AQI?
Dr. Khyati Kakkad: Community engagement programs need to be launched to sensitize people. Further, it will be very useful to engage private medical practitioners and hospitals to communicate information about air pollution to their patients. Private medical centers get many more patients than public centers like ours. There is also an acute need for good, locally collected data to show the impact of air pollution on our health. In this regard, I have started a research project earlier in the year.
Q: Can you tell us about your research on air pollution and health, and why it is important?
Dr. Khyati Kakkad: I am primarily trying to establish a correlation between air pollution and health impacts – particularly in children. My research is looking at the impact of air pollution on the rate of hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses. We are collecting data for two parameters: daily admissions in my pediatric ward, and the air quality for the day. We collect air quality readings from four stations (Ahmedabad overall, Pirana, Rykhad and Rakhiyal) around 4 PM each day. We have been collecting and plotting the data since October 2017 and will keep doing this for a period of at least one year. I hope this will shed more light on how air pollution is adversely affecting people in Ahmedabad.
Sayantan Sarkar is a climate resilience expert working with NRDC as a consultant in New Delhi.
Related Blogs
Renewables and Storage Hold Their Own in the Texas Heat Dome
Questions Answered on Canadian Wildfires—a Public Health Threat Linked to Climate Change
