Jagran correspondent, New Delhi. 'Even after taking medicine, the cough is not stopping, there is difficulty in breathing, I start panting quickly, so I had to come to the hospital for the third time. The four year old son is also worried, his cough is not stopping. Now I am feeling scared.
Tiredness and disappointment were clearly visible in the voice of Nizamuddin standing outside the emergency of Loknayak Hospital on Thursday. He has come to the hospital twice in the last three weeks complaining of cough and throat irritation. Doctors told that their problem is directly related to increasing air pollution.
The number of patients suffering from cold, cough, cold, sore throat and shortness of breath is continuously increasing in government hospitals. Strict restrictions are in force in Delhi under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grape-Four). Experts say that the effects of pollution do not end immediately and its health effects persist for many days.
This is not just the story of one patient amid the increasing air pollution of the national capital. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) continues to remain in the very poor to severe category in December 2025 and its impact is clearly visible in the government hospitals of the capital.
The number of patients suffering from shortness of breath, cough, cold and sore throat has increased rapidly in the OPD of Loknayak, Guru Teg Bahadur, GB Pant and Purnima Sethi Hospital Kalka Ji. Many patients continue to complain of persistent cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Earlier, where 350 to 400 patients used to arrive, now this number has increased to 450 to 500. According to doctors, in the current situation, an increase of 20 to 30 percent is being recorded in the cases of respiratory diseases. Many patients arriving in emergency have to be given immediate nebulization, oxygen support, and in some cases, hospitalization.
Local resident Lata, who was suffering from cold for three weeks, reached Kalka Ji Hospital for treatment at Purnima Sethi Hospital and Dilbahadur, a resident of Govindpuri, who came with his granddaughter suffering from cough and cold along with respiratory problems, has the same story. He says that it is common for this type of problem to occur every winter.
But, this time the matter is different because even after treatment, the disease is not going away and is not having any effect like the medicine. It is said that doctors are dismissing it as a pollution related disease. Where should we go, what should we do, we don't understand. Now I am feeling scared.
Shoaib and Wasim, residents of Daryaganj, who reached GB Pant and Loknayak Hospital, said that they have been complaining of cough and sometimes difficulty in breathing for about one and a half months. He is constantly visiting the hospital and taking medicines, but the cough is not getting cured. I don't understand what to do. This did not happen earlier.
Recently, the Central Government had informed that 2 lakh 4 thousand 758 acute respiratory disease cases were reported in government hospitals of Delhi between 2022 and 2024. Of these, 30 thousand 420 patients had to be admitted. Doctors say that the same thing is happening in the winter of 2025.
However, Delhi Health Department has not yet made public the hospital-wise daily figures. But, the situation is not stable. Guru Teg Bahadur and Loknayak hospitals, already bearing heavy patient load, are the worst affected on pollution days.
According to the doctors here, among the patients coming to OPD, there are a large number of children, elderly people and people already suffering from asthma or lung disease. Many patients are complaining of prolonged cough and shortness of breath.
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