World’s worst air has nearly half of Delhi seeking medical help: Survey

DELHI – Nearly half the families in and around New Delhi have sought medical help for respiratory ailments connected to severe pollution engulfing India’s capital, according to a new survey.

About 81 per cent of respondents to a questionnaire by pollster LocalCircles reported that one or more family members are experiencing an illness connected with exposure to toxic air.

Four out of 10 households saw a doctor, and the most severe cases went straight to a hospital. 

Answering a separate question, half of the participants said that in the past three weeks, they have bought medicines or devices including cough syrup, inhalers and, in some cases, antibiotics.

The survey results underscore the risks that environmental degradation poses for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration as it seeks to expand the economy in the world’s most populous nation.

Prolonged exposure to airborne toxins, which the authorities have historically failed to address, contributes to an estimated one million yearly deaths in the country. 

“It is a public health concern and we are going to escalate this survey to the government today,” LocalCircles founder Sachin Taparia said, adding that he will be approaching both national and local authorities.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was not immediately available for comment.

The LocalCircles survey, which reached about 11,000 respondents for each of the two questions, provides a rare snapshot of the immediate health impacts of the capital’s poor air quality. 

Delhi remains one of the most polluted cities on the planet all year round, but the situation worsens during the colder months.

In 2024, pollution levels in the capital fell into the “very unhealthy” or “hazardous” category for 25 days in October alone, according to Swiss monitor IQAir. BLOOMBERG