Every Fourth Person Suffers from Some Form of Allergy; People with Allergic Rhintis are at Increased Risk of Asthma : Dr. Surya Kant

The Department of Respiratory Medicine at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) organized an Allergy Summit meeting on Sunday at the Kalam Centre. Allergy specialists, chest physicians, and ENT specialists from various cities across the country participated in the event. Extensive discussions were held on the increasing prevalence of allergies and asthma, their diagnosis, treatment, and preventive measures.

Dr. Surya Kant, the organizer of the programme, said that nearly one in every four people in the country suffers from some form of allergy. Among these, nasal allergy is one of the most common problems. He stated that one out of every three patients with nasal allergy is at risk of developing asthma in the future. He added that skin allergies and food allergies are being increasingly observed among children.

According to Dr. Surya Kant, increasing air pollution, the growing consumption of fast food, and changing lifestyles are among the major reasons for the rising incidence of allergies. He appealed to people to make appropriate changes in their diet and lifestyle.

Dr. Gautam Modi, an allergy specialist from Patna; Dr. Sanjeev Dang, an ENT specialist from Delhi; Dr. Shashwat Mukherjee and Dr. Priya Pandey from Mumbai participated as expert faculty. Dr. Santosh Kumar, Dr. Darshan Bajaj, Dr. Jyoti Vajpayee, and Dr. Ankit Kumar from the Department of Respiratory Medicine; Dr. Ajay Kumar Verma from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute; Dr. Anupam Mishra, Head of the Department of ENT at KGMU; Dr. Veerendra Verma; and Dr. Sumit Sharma, President of the Lucknow ENT Association, were also present.

Discussions were held on New Allergy Tests and Immunotherapy.
Dr. Gautam Modi from Patna provided detailed information about Histaglobulin, a newer injectable treatment used in the management of allergies. He also discussed allergy testing and immunotherapy with the participating doctors.

Dr. Sanjeev Dang from Delhi said that nowadays, multiple types of allergies are often found in the same individual. He also noted that allergic disorders are increasing rapidly among children. Dr. Shashwat Mukherjee and Dr. Priya Pandey from Mumbai explained that newer diagnostic tests are now available for identifying allergies and emphasized that doctors should use them appropriately according to clinical requirements.

Advice to Choose Nutritious Food Instead of Fast Food

Dr. Surya Kant shared several simple tips for preventing allergies. He humorously advised children to choose *“Aunty’s chips”* instead of *“Uncle Chips,”* referring to nutritious homemade food rather than packaged fast food. He recommended choosing wholesome home-cooked food instead of fast food.

He also suggested replacing soft drinks with traditional Indian beverages such as coconut water, lemon water, sattu, and buttermilk. He advised choosing jaggery instead of chocolates and toffees, and fruits and dry fruits instead of cakes and pastries.

He further advised reducing screen time on mobile phones and computers and encouraged people to exercise regularly, including running. To help reduce air pollution, he appealed to people to plant trees on birthdays and other auspicious occasions.

Dr. Santosh Kumar, co-coordinator of the programme, said that allergy testing facilities are available in the Department of Respiratory Medicine at KGMU, which is also an advanced centre for the treatment of allergies and asthma.

Dr. Jyoti Bajpai said that the department also operates Uttar Pradesh’s first Pulmonary Rehabilitation Centre. Patients with allergies and asthma are taught yoga, pranayama, and *Jal Niti* at the centre, and these services are provided completely free of cost.

At the conclusion of the programme, Dr. Ankit Kumar and Dr. Ajay Verma thanked all the experts and participants. More than 100 doctors, along with junior doctors from the departments of Chest Medicine and ENT, attended the programme.