World Lung Cancer Day
SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: World Lung Cancer Day is observed every year on August 1 since 2012 when it was first marked to raise awareness around the deadly disease, encourage more research on it and break the stigma around the disease. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, there were 2.2 million cases of lung cancer in 2020.
On world lung cancer day, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) said lung cancer cases are on rise among people who have never smoked because of increasing exposure to toxic air.
“Poor air quality is behind spike in lung cancer cases among non-smokers,” said DAK President.
He said evidence has shown that polluted air is associated with increased risk of lung cancer which is the most prominent cancer in Kashmir.A new ground breaking study conducted at Francis Crick Institute and University College London has revealed that poor air quality can increase the odds of lung cancer in individuals who do not smoke.
According to experts , Srinagar City has highest incidence of lung cancer in country and Jammu and Kashmir has a huge burden of chronic lung disease and blamed air pollution as the major risk factor for these diseases.
Experts underscored the importance of intervention at individual and community level and said that we should rethink land use and there should be proper transportation planning to reduce vehicular traffic ,besides other practical viable solutions are needed.
Earlier, SKIMS health experts warned, that yearly around ten thousand deaths are attributed to particulate matter 2.5PM exposure and there is need to control it by countering it.
“There is need to create awareness among public that Air Pollution issue is not only in metro cities like Delhi and Maharashtra but also now in Jammu and Kashmir due to increasing number of vehicles, construction, brick klins cement factories which emit pollutants and significantly pollute our air and effecting our health which makes air pollution a health issue “he said.
Clean air will lead better quality of life and enhances the life expectancy by 9 to 10 years as shown by various studies and has a significant effect on economy as well. Doctors are one of the most trusted professionals to disseminate information to fellow doctors ,media and the masses ,he added.Biomass burning in Kashmir is main source of air pollution besides other sources like unregulated establishment of cement factories, brick kilns and overload of vehicular traffic within cities.
Sounding an alarm, experts said around ten thousand deaths in Jammu and Kashmir attributed to air pollution every year.
He said the measures which can contribute to decreasing air pollution include using fewer vehicles, decreasing the use of unleaded petrol, decreasing use of biomass fuels ,less use of Kangri , and using vented heaters. He said air pollution is affecting every single organ of the body and “we have work to reduce the pollution.”
Health experts said, government is the policy maker and in the recent past good things have happened like plantation on Hari Parbat in Srinagar city from barren to forest land.”There is need to take similar initiative so as to reduce the air pollution. Walking tracks have been constructed is also a good initiative as a part of Smart City Project and there is need to do more small steps so as control air pollution gradually, he said.
