Tuesday | March 29, 2022, | Gurugram: Given the toxic levels of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, Medanta, in partnership with “Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action”, launches Medanta Institute of Research and Advocacy for Clean Air and Health (MIRACAH). The institute’s objective is to work towards advocacy, training and research on air pollution and health. The institute aims to train Medanta employees on air pollution and health, engage with patients to highlight the importance of clean air, and conduct in-house and community-based research on air pollution and health. This is a pan-India initiative across Medanta hospitals in Gurugram, Lucknow, Patna, Indore and Ranchi, and its nationwide network of out-patient clinics.

The institute’s launch comes at a time when Delhi was declared as the most polluted capital according to the World Air Quality Report 2021 (prepared by Swiss organization IQAir). According to a published study by Lung Care Foundation in 2021, 29.3% of students from Delhi had spirometry defined air-flow obstruction/asthma, and around 40% of students complained of cough. Air pollution is a silent killer causing great damage to our children and impeding the future of our country. All stakeholders of society need to understand the extent of damage caused due to air pollution to our health and take steps with top priority towards cleaning the air we breathe.

Launching the initiative at Medanta Gurugram, Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chairman and Managing Director, Medanta, said, “Air pollution is a silent killer and Medanta commits itself to do everything to achieve the goal of Clean Air.”

The launch program was organized in the presence of Ms Jane Burston, Executive Director, Clean Air Fund, a global philanthropic initiative aimed at finding and scaling clean air solutions, said, “The launch of this institute is a brilliant example of the pioneering work health professionals can do in the air pollution space. Doctors can communicate scientific information in a much simpler way and networks like the ‘Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action’ is an inspiration for doctors around the world. CAF is committed to work with organizations like Lung Care Foundation for the quality research work they produce and extensive work they do.”

Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgery at Medanta and Founder & Managing Trustee of Lung Care Foundation, said, “I see the impact of air pollution on the lungs of my patient every day while operating. It’s scary! As medical professionals who are aware of the damage air pollution does to our health, it is our duty to apprise the society of the health impacts of air pollution and accelerate the transition towards cleaner air through citizen and policy-level initiatives.”