‘Skin allergies indicator of climate change’
Patients stand in line at the registry kiosk of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science's (PIMS) pollen allergy emergency centre in Islamabad, Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS
Health expert Dr Azhar Khawar on Wednesday emphasised that besides the usual spate of flu, cough and fatigue being experienced by the resident of Islamabad and Rawalpindi due to the changing weather pattern, they need to take measures for protection against multiple skin allergies as well.
He said the humans' vulnerability to potential health impacts by climate change is evident in literature.
As an active agent, human beings may control the related health effects that may be effectively controlled through adopting proactive measures, including better understanding of the climate change patterns and of the compound disease-specific health effects, and effective allocation of technologies and resources to promote healthy lifestyles and public awareness.
“Eczema is the most common skin condition, especially in children,” said Dr Khawar. “It affects one in five infants but only around one in fifty adults.”
It is now thought to be due to "leakiness" of the skin barrier, which causes it to dry out and become prone to irritation and inflammation by many environmental factors, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2022.