Punjab’s ongoing smog crisis has reached alarming proportions, severely affecting public health across the province. The Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department reported a staggering 61,024 cases of respiratory diseases on Saturday alone, highlighting the growing strain on the healthcare system.
Hospitals across the province recorded significant numbers of cases within the last 24 hours: 4,211 asthma cases, 2,105 ischemic heart disease cases, 181 strokes, and 385 conjunctivitis cases. These figures underscore the urgency of the situation and the widespread impact of the smog on public health.
Over the past month, approximately 1.92 million people sought medical attention for smog-related illnesses in Punjab. Among these, 125,520 asthma patients, 60,966 ischemic heart disease cases, 5,701 strokes, and 14,007 conjunctivitis cases were treated.
In just the past week, there were 455,283 reported cases of respiratory diseases, with 31,034 asthma patients, 13,479 ischemic heart disease cases, 1,360 strokes, and 4,121 cases of conjunctivitis. These figures highlight the increasing burden on healthcare facilities.
Lahore, the worst-affected city, has seen significant numbers of cases. In the last month, the city reported 132,569 respiratory disease cases, 6,613 asthma cases, 13,585 ischemic heart disease cases, 706 strokes, and 3,269 conjunctivitis cases. On Saturday alone, Lahore recorded 3,690 respiratory disease cases, 209 asthma cases, 552 ischemic heart disease cases, 56 strokes, and 63 conjunctivitis cases, further emphasizing the acute health crisis in the provincial capital.
In response to the growing health emergency, the Punjab government has reassured citizens that hospitals are fully equipped to handle the influx of smog-related cases. However, the continuing rise in cases calls for urgent measures to tackle the smog pollution in the region.
