Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Federal Government Poly Clinic (FGPC) have started providing medical assistance to pollen allergy patients in its emergency ward and outpatient department (OPD) of chest disease section.
According to hospitals sources, the high-risk pollen allergy season will start from mid of April, however, the allergy patients have started visiting hospitals with medical complications. They said around 70 patients visited the PIMS while 50 patients visited FGPC emergency for oxygen and nebulisation during last 24 hours.
They said keeping in view the situation, extra staff has been deputed at the emergency ward to treat the pollen allergy patients.
They said that proper arrangements have been made for care of critical patients of pollen allergy at hospitals’ emergency and Pulmonology Department as the number of pollen allergy patients are increasing on daily basis.
Best facilities are being provided to such patients free of cost while these patients are also being provided free life saving medicines in the emergency department besides nebulisation, bronchodilators, steroids, oxygen therapy, nursing care and specialist consultation, they added.
Dr Sharif Astori of FGPC has advised the pollen allergy patients to adopt precautionary measures to avoid any medical complication. He said allergy patients should avoid moving at such places having the offending plant grows and presence of its pollen in the air. He asked the persons with pollen allergy, working outside to wear face masks designed to filter pollen out of the air reaching their nasal passages.
Dr Wasim Khawaja of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said during periods of high pollen levels, people with pollen allergy should try to avoid unnecessary exposure to irritants such as dust, insect sprays, tobacco smoke, air pollution, and fresh tar or paint. Any of these things can aggravate the symptoms of pollen allergy, adding, when pollen allergy is not treated, complications may occur, he added.
He said people with seasonal allergies who cannot avoid pollen, the symptoms can be controlled with medication on advice of physician including antihistamines, corticosteroids, and cromolyn sodium, any of which can be used alone or in combination.
Meanwhile, citizens asked the officials concerned to make proper arrangements at federal government hospitals in the federal capital for treatment of the critical patients of pollen allergy by providing ventilators to them in case of severe emergency.
They also demanded that an awareness drive should be launched to educate citizens about the disease. Literature regarding the disease should be provided to the pollen allergy patients at the outpatient department of Pulmonology Department, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for their awareness.
They asked to provide concerned medical facilities to such patients free of cost while these patients should also be provided free life saving medicines in the emergency department besides nebulisation, bronchodilators, steroids, oxygen therapy, nursing care and specialists’ consultation.
