The incidence of various types of allergies—including nasal, eye and skin—have been on increase by 30 to 40 per cent in the winter season every year, and there is no allergy test facility available in the government sector hospitals of the Sindh province.
Renowned ENT Surgeon, Dr Jawaid Akhtar Jamali, while talking to PPI, said due to the prevailing cold and dry weather conditions, the incidence of allergy in varied forms increases by 30 to 40 per cent in this season.
He said nasal allergy is most common in people in winter weather which occurs due to air pollution, dust and dry weather. He said the symptoms of nasal allergy are rhinorrhoea (runny-nose), sneezing, nasal blockage and/or itching of the nose.
He explained that nasal allergy affects the whole system including throat, eyes and ears; therefore, precautionary measures should be taken to prevent from cold and dry weather.
He said there was no allergy test facility in government sector hospitals in Sindh province. He said allergy test facility was only available in private hospitals of Karachi and National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad.
He said allergy cases had considerably increased due to cold and dry weather, adding that the number of patients suffering from skin rashes, flu, cough, sneezing and asthma had risen.
When contacted, Another ENT Surgeon & Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) leader, Dr SM Qaiser Sajjad, said allergy cases are on the rise in Karachi due to dry weather. He said low temperature and dearth of rains had also added to the risk of prevalence of allergy in varied forms among the elderly and children.
He said air pollution, dust, smoke and chemicals also contribute to the increase in allergy cases in this season. He said the people should take care in a polluted atmosphere. He said best treatment for allergy is to avoid factors triggering the allergy.