Facilities to have appropriate medicinal stocks, emergency service. PHOTO: ONLINE

ISLAMABAD: Spring is a time to take out the face masks in Islamabad.



Pollen count in the air has been steadily rising and poses a threat to people with allergies. The count peaked in March and is likely to reduce by the end of April in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.



In a bid to control pollen allergy, Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) Directorate of Health Services (DHS), devised a strategy to deal with and curtail pollen allergy in the peak season by declaring all DHS Medical Centres as pollen allergy management.



To analyse these preventive measures, IMC officials huddled over the issue in a meeting under the chair of Islamabad Mayor and CDA Chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz. The meeting was attended by Director General Health Services, Additional Director Health Services and other senior officers of the IMC and CDA.



Mayor Aziz directed the DG to take effective measures against the pollen allergy in the city and asked concerned formations of the authority to formulate a firm pollen allergy eradication strategy in collaboration with the hospitals of the federal capital.



He also directed that relevant medicines be sufficiently stocked in all Pollen Allergy Management Centres so that residents could get best medical care round the clock.



While talking about the public awareness campaign on pollen allergy, Aziz encouraged printing and distribution of leaflets and brochures among the public.



The mayor was apprised that a comprehensive plan for preventive measures against pollen allergy had been finalised and that appropriate stocks of relevant medicines were being kept in these centres based on demand.



He was briefed that medical officers had been instructed to treat patients in line with international protocol and referral of patients to the hospitals, if required, without wasting time.



The centres will develop statistics of daily pollen allergy cases. The meeting was told that arrangements had been made to train and counsel patients about preventive measures against pollen allergy.



The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) monitors pollen airborne in Islamabad throughout the year.



The PMD has installed pollen monitoring units in sectors H-8, E-8, F-10 and G-6, he said, adding that they monitor concentrations of pollen during the spring season.



According to PMD, pollen count for Paper Mulbery in Sector H-8 was 6,121 per meter cube.



The most abundant pollen types in Islamabad are from eight trees including Paper Mulberry, Acacia, Eucalyptus, Pines, grass, Cannabis, Dandelion and Alternaria.



Out of these plants, Paper Mulberry shares about 97% of the total pollen and its concentration touches the extreme limits of about 40,000 per cubic meter of air at the peak of blossoming.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2017.