Pollen count hits nine-year high in Islamabad
10-day free pollen allergy relief camp set up at Aabpara Community Centre to treat sufferers of pollen allergies.
The advent of spring has been a nuisance for many pollen allergy patients in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. This year, a record increase in the number of pollen grains has been recorded in the air, causing many to head to health emergency centers.
Pakistan’s medical professionals have now established treatment camps for sufferers of pollen allergies.
Islamabad District Administration has set up a 10-day free pollen allergy relief camp at the Aabpara Community Center in Islamabad to offer relief to thousands of patients from pollen allergy.
The relief camp will continue from Tuesday, April 4 till April 14 and the timings will be 9 am to 4 pm.
Three kinds of treatment facilities will be available at camp including allopathic, homeopathic and Tib-e-Unani. All medicines would be provided free of cost to patients to allergy patients during 9 am to 4 pm, a spokesman for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration has informed.
The pollen camp meeting was attended by the Director Administration, Farasat Ali Khan, DHO, Islamabad, Dr Tahir, Dr Najeeb Durrani, Dr Athar Rana, Hakeem Rizwan Hafeez, and representatives of pharmaceutical companies including Shaheen Chemist, D Watson, High Noon Laboratory, Four Star chemist, M Sons and donated medicines for the camp.
Most the seasonal allergy sufferers complain of sneezing, coughing, watery eyes red pimples or a general uncomfortable feeling. But some have more severe symptoms.
This year, the pollen count in Islamabad is at its highest in five years, reaching 36,695 grains per cubic meters on March 19. The count peaked in March and is likely to reduce by the end of April in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Pollen count in the air has been steadily rising and poses a threat to people with allergies. Around 1,000 to 1,200 patients show up at the outpatient departments (OPDs) of the Federal Government Services Hospital, Polyclinic, according to a news report.
The main culprit for the allergy is called “jangli shehtoot” – the paper mulberry tree. Citizens have been advised by National Institute of Health (NIH) to avoid wooded areas and where plantation is in abundance. Pollen count in the air increases in the spring season because of trees, dandelion, grass and flowers due to which people face respiratory problems, rash in eyes and red skin.
The most abundant types of pollen in Islamabad are from these types of trees and vegetation: Paper Mulberry, Acacia, Eucalyptus, Pines, grass, Cannabis, Dandelion and Alternaria.
Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has also declared all DHS Medical Centres as pollen allergy management.
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