Lok Sabha Question No. 4873 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-01
Subject: Respiratory distress in Delhi and Neighbouring States
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sunita Duggal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. - 4873 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2022

## RESPIRATORY DISTRESS IN DELHI AND NEIGHBOURING STATES

## 4873.  SHRIMATI SUNITA DUGGAL:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recorded a number of health cases of respiratory distress in different areas of Delhi that have consistently reported an AQI that ranges from 151200, 201-300 and 301 and higher;
- (b) if so, the details thereof for each of the area under the aforementioned AQI range;
- (c) whether any studies have been undertaken to analyse the impact of Air Pollution on the respiratory health of citizens residing in said areas;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the spike in the rate of air pollution related respiratory illness in the last five years in Delhi and neighbouring State/UTs?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a) to (e) National  Centre  for  Disease  Control  (NCDC)  under  MoH&FW  does surveillance of health problems particularly acute respiratory illnesses in context of air pollution at six designated sentinel hospitals in Delhi since 10 th Nov 2017. This is to help understand the burden of diseases associated with air pollution. The list of six designated sentinel hospitals and Surveillance data of last 5 years is placed below:
-  AIIMS, New Delhi,
-  Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi
-  LHMC Group of Hospitals, New Delhi
-  RML Hospital, New Delhi
-  V.P.Chest Institute, New Delhi
-  National Institute of TB and Respiratory Disease, New Delhi

| ARI Surveillance Compiled Data from 10 November 2017 till 3 March 2022   | ARI Surveillance Compiled Data from 10 November 2017 till 3 March 2022   | ARI Surveillance Compiled Data from 10 November 2017 till 3 March 2022   | ARI Surveillance Compiled Data from 10 November 2017 till 3 March 2022   | ARI Surveillance Compiled Data from 10 November 2017 till 3 March 2022   | ARI Surveillance Compiled Data from 10 November 2017 till 3 March 2022   | ARI Surveillance Compiled Data from 10 November 2017 till 3 March 2022   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Date                                                                     | Total Number of Emergencies Reported to ED                               | Total Number of Ac. Respiratory illness cases reported to ED             | Cases of Respiratory illnesses requiring nebulizatio n                   | Cases of Respiratory Illnesses requiring admission                       | Cases of Respiratory Illnesses requiring Non- invasive ventilation       | Cases of Respirato ry Illnesses requiring invasive ventilatio n          |
| 01-01-2022 to 03-03-2022                                                 | 22566                                                                    | 7331                                                                     | 3089                                                                     | 1505                                                                     | 515                                                                      | 177                                                                      |
| 01-01-2021 to 31-12-2021                                                 | 58598                                                                    | 8285                                                                     | 4509                                                                     | 2623                                                                     | 943                                                                      | 362                                                                      |
| 01-01-2020 to 31-12-2020                                                 | 116450                                                                   | 25185                                                                    | 21995                                                                    | 7642                                                                     | 2358                                                                     | 1197                                                                     |
| 01-01-2019 to 31-12-2019                                                 | 497557                                                                   | 72041                                                                    | 64495                                                                    | 18718                                                                    | 5838                                                                     | 3048                                                                     |
| 01-01-2018 to 31-12-2018                                                 | 983339                                                                   | 83530                                                                    | 50075                                                                    | 20102                                                                    | 6723                                                                     | 3466                                                                     |
| 10-11-2017 to 31-12-2017                                                 | 105626                                                                   | 10991                                                                    | 7126                                                                     | 2324                                                                     | 389                                                                      | 332                                                                      |

ICMR  has  conducted  a  multisite  study  to  document  acute  effect  of  increase  in  air pollution on respiratory morbidity. The study was based on number of patients attending emergency  rooms  of  5  Hospitals  i.e.  AIIMS  (Adult,  Paediatrics),  Kalawati  Saran Children's  Hospital,  V.P.Chest  Institute  and  National  Institute  of  TB  and  Respiratory Disease. Analysis suggests that increase in pollution level was associated with increase in number of patients attending emergency rooms.