Separate cell for workers with lung diseases

BANGALORE: Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) will soon come up with a separate occupational lung disease cell within the institute. This move has come forward after a patient  was diagnosed with silicosis in the city recently.The cell aims to treat factory workers symptomatic to silicosis. Silicosis is a fibrotic lung disorder caused by inhalation, retention and pulmonary reaction to crystalline silica during mining, stone crushing and quarrying.The institute has also engaged the services of specialists in social and preventive medicine. Speaking to Express Dr Shashidhar Buggi, director, Rajiv Gadhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), said that the step has come forward after a recent meeting with the Health Department and Labour Department, when patients working at garment factory were diagnosed with various diseases.Speaking about the sypmtoms, Dr Buggi added that symptoms of TB such as cough, chest tightness, difficulties in breaking, loss of weight are similar to the silicosis, and patients with silicosis are often mistaken as TB patients.People involved in jobs like abrasives manufacturing, glass manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction works, sand blasting and stone cutting are exposed to silica dust and are vulnerable to it.Meanwhile, the state Health Department plans to screen factory workers and symptomatic patients.“We have formed team for which the nodal officer is the joint director (TB). All the district health officers (DHO) and TB officers have been issued notification and depending on the severity of the patients, they will be referred to the RGICD,” said Selva Kumar, mission director, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).