With the air quality in Delhi worsening once again, the Supreme Court has ordered the schools to be shut till November 16 due to the catastrophic rise in health problems amongst the capital’s residents. After a brief dive in pollution levels, the air quality in Delhi has once again breached the “severe” mark according to AQI Live.

According to a new survey by LocalCircles with over 17,000 respondents from Delhi, 44 per cent of Delhi residents said they were having health problems related to pollution, but have not visited a doctor or hospital. Practo insights reveal a 55 per cent increase in online doctor consultations during this period. Most of the patient queries revolved around chest pain, dry cough, hair loss, body aches and fever, skin rashes, to name a few. The insights indicate that there’s an increased need for medical assistance in the capital, but, travel or other barriers with respect to getting in touch with doctors seamlessly, may deter the patients from consulting a qualified doctor. It has also been observed that patients tend to delay their first medical interaction until the condition becomes critical.

Practo's initiative is aimed at making Delhiites more proactive about their health and ensuring that no symptom goes undiagnosed. The service has been extended for almost a week from now i.e., till 20th November 2019. Operating on the principle of early diagnosis that can lead to better health outcomes, Delhiites can use this service 24/7 to get in touch with a qualified doctor instantly, anytime of the day, rather than self-medicating or ignoring it altogether.

Dr Alexander Kuruvilla, Chief Healthcare Strategy Officer, Practo, said, “The hazardous air quality across the capital has led to a surge in pulmonary, respiratory and dermal diseases. We have made quality doctors available for patients in Delhi over the last week to help people get timely medical assistance. Our team of doctors have indicated that symptoms of these health issues caused by pollution can vary from mild sickness to severe discomfort and that it may get difficult for patients to understand whether some of these diseases’ early signs even qualify a doctor visit. Keeping this in mind, we’ve made online consultations with quality doctors available for free for all Delhiites; this would help ensure that patients get a qualified medical opinion and correct line of treatment, without any travel or extra cost. It appears to be one of the worst ever spells of air pollution in Delhi this year, and we are committed to helping Delhiites get in touch with qualified physicians, in a convenient manner.”

Practo's vision is to make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for a billion Indians, and this initiative is a step in that direction. Over 20 crore patients, or approx. 1 in 7 Indians has received high-quality care through the Practo platform in 2019 alone. Working with a team of 1 lakh + doctors, Practo is committed to increasing access to quality healthcare in the country.