Tuberculosis is the main lung disease in Bangladesh. Also, many people are affected by various diseases of the lungs due to air pollution. And now coronavirus has been added to it.
The most common lung problems in Bangladesh
According to the Department of Health's 2017 'Health Bulletin', 10 percent of non-communicable disease deaths in Bangladesh are due to respiratory problems.
According to the bulletin, respiratory problems are the second leading cause of death among children.
The highest number of deaths in Upazila level hospitals is due to chronic respiratory diseases.
Bangladesh Lang Foundation Secretary-General. Asif Mujtaba Mahmud says that the most important lung disease in Bangladesh is tuberculosis.
Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and respiratory infections are also common. Many people suffer from lung problems due to air pollution. Now it is associated with coronavirus.
That is why tuberculosis is so prevalent
According to the World Health Organization's 2019 Global Tuberculosis Report, Bangladesh has the highest incidence of tuberculosis among the six most affected countries.
Dr. Asif Mujtaba Mahmud says the location stays in roughly the same place every year.
"Bangladesh has been very densely populated for centuries," he said. "Bangladesh is very densely populated. Bangladesh is so crowded everywhere that respiratory diseases can be easily transmitted from one person to another through sneezing and coughing. One TB patient can infect ten others."
Tuberculosis requires six months of treatment. Not being able to identify all the patients, the disease remains due to incomplete treatment.
And due to poverty, many people cannot go for treatment even though there are adequate treatment facilities in Bangladesh at a low cost.
Another important reason he mentioned was the lack of concept of cleanliness.
"The etiquette of sneezing and coughing in our country - covering the face with a handkerchief, sneezing and coughing by covering the face with the arm if there is no handkerchief - is not a habit in most people. If it happens in a crowd, think about how easy the infection is."
The enemies of the lungs are smoking and air pollution
Respiratory medicine doctor at a private hospital in Dhaka. Raushan Ara Khanam says, "If you look at the air quality index, especially in Dhaka city, the air quality is getting worse as the days go by. Dust and washing in the air make the city sky look blurry. We get a lot of shortness of breath like asthma now."
Towards the end of the year, brick kiln chimneys create pollution not only in cities but also in villages. People who regularly work long hours in an environment with polluted air will have long-term damage to their lungs.
Such as those who work on city streets or brick kilns. Dr. Raushan Ara Khanam says that smoking is a big enemy of the lungs.
"The new thing we're seeing is that 'Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease' is on the rise among girls these days. One of the reasons is that even if you don't smoke directly, those around you are harmed. Girls are smoking more these days than ever before."
Dr. Raushan Ara Khanam further says that the smoke from the woodstove cooked in the village is harmful to the lungs.
Since women live very close to the stove, every day and for a long time so this smoke enters her lungs very directly.
There is also smoke from mosquito coils which is not less harmful.
Coronavirus has long-term effects on the lungs
Dr. Asif Mujtaba Mahmood says the main target of the coronavirus attack is the lungs.
The respiratory tract enters the human body and the coronavirus has a long-term effect on the lungs.
Even healthy people who have never had a problem with their lungs are suffering from serious problems.
"The coronavirus can cause a great deal of damage to the lungs. A large proportion of people who recover from virus pulmonary fibrosis. What happens in the disease is that it settles in the lung cells and spreads there. The coronavirus damages these cells," he said. "
"Human lungs are supposed to be soft. This makes it easier for oxygen and carbon dioxide to get into the lungs. But when fibrosis occurs, the lungs become hard. That's when oxygen and carbon dioxide are blocked. Suffers from long-term shortness of breath. "
After the treatment of this disease, the lungs cannot be brought back to its previous place.
How to keep the lungs healthy
Not just for coronavirus, the lungs should be tried throughout the year to be healthy, says Dr. at the National Chest Disease Institute and Hospital. Kazi Saifuddin Bennur.
He says clean air is most needed to keep the lungs healthy. But since it is not very easy to get, he says there are several ways to keep the lungs healthy in the current situation:
Quit smoking as soon as possible: Smoking not only damages the lungs but also other parts of the body. Quitting smoking is good for the whole body.
Eating a balanced diet: Vegetables, fruits, and fish, especially sour foods should be eaten. Lemon, Orange, Malta, Batabi Lemon, Mango, Large This type of sour national fruit is beneficial for the lungs.
Beneficial vitamins for the lungs: It is very important to eat foods rich in vitamin-C, D, and zinc because of the constant damage to the lungs.
A simple exercise for the lungs
Dr. Kazi Saifuddin Bennur says the two hands should be slowly raised above the head, as he used to do during school.
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