According to WHO smoking among women was 2.2 percent of the female population above 15 in 1980 and is predicted to rise to 20 percent by 2025. Smoking definitely affects women health especially pregnant women. Festive season when respiratory diseases caused by pollution are discussed majorly, women health should also be prioritized. Hence with the objective of raising awareness in this regard Jaypee Hospital, Noida organized a conference in Citrus hotel (Apple Tree) C/2 Mahalaxmi Mall RDC Rajnagar, Ghaziabad, where Dr. Gyanendra Agarwal shared his views and experiences.
Dr. Gyanendra Agarwal, Associate Director, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jaypee Hospital, Noida said that, “it is said that you are alive if you are breathing. But looking at the number of pulmonary diseases one may ask are we really ‘breathing’ or ‘alive’? Smoking definitely is more threatening to women’s health. In one of the cases I was treating a pregnant woman. Her unborn baby’s health went at stake because of smoking; even she herself was also very weak. We all are aware that we as a society put more responsibilities on women more than one can handle which leads to health problems and other poor eating and lifestyle habits. We must stand by our women and share their responsibilities and be aware about their health as well. ”
Apart from urban women, smoking habit is very much prevalent among women from the weaker section of the society as well. Sight of female labour smoking beedi, hukkah is very much normal. Lifestyle disorder is the reason in which urban women ‘choose to smoke’; on the other hand lack of awareness and resources lead rural women to ‘opt for it’.
Every next morning of Diwali, city wakes up to the toxic fog blanketing the entire city. In previous years in big cities of the country poor air quality had hit the PM 10 in Air Quality Index which is severe and had triggered the asthma and other respiratory problems in several cities. Time when such serious respiratory diseases have become major concern, smoking habit adds more to the problem.
Dr. Gyanendra further adds that, “we all must understand breathing is just not about inhaling and exhaling rather it is more about what exactly we are inhaling. It is sad to know how life threatening habit like smoking is considered to be cool in a section of the society. We are living in the time when asthma patients are prescribed even to change their cities for health reasons by their concerned doctors, hence we all must think how cool this habit really is?
Festive seasons must bring joy not diseases. Hence instead of adding pollutants to the air we breathe, this Diwali we all must pledge to make our environment cleaner and bring the pulmonary disease number down.
Apart from giving best advanced treatment to its patients Jaypee Hospital, Noida keeps organizing free health check up camps and awareness programs also.
