Addressing a press conference on the occasion of the 39th Anniversary of the Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, members of the Sambhavna Trust clinic called for greater medical attention to continuing deaths and illnesses among survivors. They presented information on deaths and illnesses among survivors of the Bhopal disaster.
Said Dr Shweta Chaturvedi, Yoga therapist at the Clinic, “Among the 3832 Bhopal survivors who received care at our clinic since January 1, 2022, 22 persons have died. Of the 22 deceased in the last two years, 14 (64 %) had been diagnosed with Hypertension, 10 (45 %) had a diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus. In 8 out of 10 cases, the deceased had both Hypertension and Diabetes. Respiratory illnesses including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) were the third most common diagnoses among the deceased.”
Nitesh Dubey, Registration Assistant at the clinic said “Data from our Clinic shows that among 6254 persons who received care at the clinic, diagnoses of Diabetes, Coronary Arterial Disease, Neuropathies and Arthritis are more than three times more common among gas exposed individuals compared to those without history of gas exposure. Diagnoses of Hypertension, Acid Peptic disease, Asthma, COPD, Cervical spondylosis and Anxiety disorders are twice as common among survivors of the gas disaster.”
“The Sambhavna Trust Clinic has been running in the midst of a severely affected community since September 1996. Till date 36, 730 individuals have been registered for long term care. Treatment protocols at the Clinic are based on integration of Modern medicine with Yoga and Ayurveda including Panchakarma. In addition to providing medical care, the Clinic carries out community health work, grows medicinal plants and produces Ayurvedic medicines.” said Radhelal Napit, Community Health Surveyor at the Clinic.
