Hyderabad, Mar 11(TNT): People should quit smoking to prevent breathlessness and protect lung health, said noted epidemiologist Naresh Purohit during an awareness programme held on the occasion of “No Smoking Day’here on Wednesday.
Speaking at the programme organised at the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) here , Dr. Purohit, Advisor to the National Communicable Disease Control Programme, said maintaining good health largely depends on avoiding harmful habits such as tobacco use.
He said early detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can help reduce severe lung damage, noting that symptoms usually become visible only after the age of 60 when people begin experiencing breathlessness.
“The only reliable method to diagnose COPD is the Pulmonary Function Test (PFT),” he said, adding that prolonged smoking significantly increases the risk of developing the disease.
Citing data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), Dr. Purohit said 22.3 per cent of men aged 15 years and above in Telangana use tobacco, indicating a major public health concern.
Across India, nearly 267 million adults consume tobacco, he said.
He cautioned that smoking 10 cigarettes daily for 20 years or 20 cigarettes daily for 10 years can lead to COPD, though symptoms may appear much later in life.
Experts also noted that COPD may develop in people exposed to indoor smoke from traditional cooking stoves or prolonged air pollution. They stressed that patients diagnosed with COPD should take pneumonia and influenza vaccinations to reduce the risk of complications.
Public health specialists emphasised the need for stronger tobacco cessation measures and awareness programmes to address the growing tobacco burden in Telangana and across the country.
TNT TS
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