Many traffic police personnel were diagnosed of symptoms indicative of early signs of asthma during a recent health checkup camp organised for the highly vulnerable Delhi Traffic Police personnel.
Out of the 160 who attended the screening camp, 25 per cent were diagnosed with symptoms of allergy while another 25 per cent had abnormal blood pressure. Many of them were also diagnosed with symptoms related to chest and lungs like shortness of breath, abnormal lung function, chest tightness or pain, chronic coughing, troubled sleeping due to coughing or wheezing.
Traffic officials are prone to lung diseases given the worsening air quality in Delhi caused by heavy vehicular traffic and industrial pollutants. Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dr Muktesh Chander said that such initiatives help to sensitise traffic personnel to address any health issues that they may be suffering from.
“Our men brave the worst adversities of pollution besides highest degree of stress and long hours of duty. While we do have regular tests and mechanism to ensure their health is monitored, initiatives like these also help to sensitise our men to address to symptoms related to chest and lung problems. Other than this, we also encourage our men to undergo regular yoga and meditation sessions to keep them fitter and happier. Masks are also provided to them but they are not fully effective against gases,” said Chander.
The camp was organised by BlK Super Speciality Hospital in view of World Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month in order to highlight the importance of regular screening as well as grave health risks faced by traffic police personnel.
Dr Vikas Maurya, senior consultant at BlK Super Speciality Hospital, said that Traffic Police personnel are the most vulnerable given their prolonged exposure to the traffic fumes that could play a critical role in the induction of allergic conditions.
Delhi has seen dramatic rise in vehicle population and then there are vehicles plying in and out from other states as well. Traffic policemen working at busy traffic signal areas get exposed to the vehicular emissions for years together. The fumes, chemicals and particles present in the emission are detrimental to the lung functions of these individuals prompting very serious changes to occur in the lungs.
Previously various studies conducted by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institutes have confirmed the high vulnerability of traffic policemen, which cause chest and lung abnormalities, inflammation of the lung and bronchial hyperactivity which causes asthma.