It is a man-made crisis. It has even worse impacts on Indians than it has on other parts of the world. The Founder Chairman of Narayana Health says, ” This crisis is not so much India-centric, but India-centric has reached a kind of intensity.
New lung cancer is going to arrive, the heart attacks and all kinds of serious illnesses because it is about the air.” What was seasonal for a few months has now become a year-round crisis spiraling out of control,” he told News18.
Dr. Shetty, who treated Mother Teresa when she suffered a heart attack in 1984 and served as her doctor for the final five years of her life, describes air pollution as an artificial crisis that will have even more devastating consequences for Indians than for the rest of the world.
Unfortunately, Indian bodies are already genetically predisposed to developing heart disease and diabetes earlier than others and now face the additional significant threat of air pollution,” he said.
While Shetty said he doesn’t have data to confirm this yet, he does not doubt that we will soon discover that people living in areas of the country with poor air quality are significantly more likely to experience higher rates of heart problems, lung issues, and other pollution-related health concerns.
We still don’t fully understand the long-term implications of this air pollution, as it has escalated rapidly to nearly unbearable levels in a remarkably short time. However, we are already witnessing a significant rise in lung problems among children and adults.”
According to Shetty, data is lacking in this area, especially in the Indian context, so quantifying the exact contribution of pollution poses a challenge. However, prolonged exposure, even to moderate pollution levels, will have severe effects.
Living in such an environment year after year will significantly increase health risks, which will play a crucial role in worsening the situation. We must act now because the long-term consequences on our health are undeniable, and much of the damage, once sustained, is irreversible.”
