Changing weather increases health concerns, say doctors

Sudden change in weather coupled with daily power cuts are making residents of Thane, Mulund and neighbouring areas ill. Doctors say that since past one month, they have been witnessing increase in patients suffering from respiratory problems, diarrhoea, typhoid and bronchitis. They say that besides weather, the unavailability of water filters, air-conditioner and fan due to power cuts, people are prone to suffer from these ailments. Since last one month Dr Charu Durve, a general practitioner from Mulund is attending to patients of cough, cold and fever (respiratory problems), diarrhoea and tyhphoid. "Everyday I attend to 120-150 patients at my clinic. Out of these, 60-70 are patients of respiratory problems, 17-18 cent are of diarrhoea and around eight to nine percent are suffering from crude typhoid," he says. "Due to continuous erratic weather for the last one-and-half-month, the respiratory infections like cough, cold and fever are not responding to antibiotics also. And there are patients of diarrhoea who are also landing up in hospitals if not treated properly," he says. According to another doctor from Thane, the rise in these infections and ailments is also due to the unhygienic habits of people. "People spit everywhere without thinking about cleanliness and hygiene and in the process, infect others," he says adding that daily power cuts are also contributing to these ailments. "As power supply is cut water purifiers stop functioning, thus limiting the supply of pure and clean drinking water," he says. Even though the patients are treated for these ailments they again come for the treatment of repeated infections after two to three months. "As air-conditioners and fans stop working due to power cuts, there is no proper ventilation and it spreads respiratory infections," the doctor added.