Forty years after horrific Bhopal gas leak, ailments rise at faster pace among the affected

BHOPAL: An organisation working with survivors of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the world's worst industrial disaster, on Monday said ailments were being detected among those affected at a rate much higher than those who remained unexposed.

The outcome was based on analysis of clinical data of 16305 gas-exposed and 8106 unexposed patients, the Sambhavana Trust Clinic functionaries told reporters here.

These patients received care at their facility in the last 16 years, they said, adding the data highlighted the need for continued medical research and sustained healthcare services for the victims.

In the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide factory, killing 5,479 people and maiming more than five lakh others.

"Rates of diseases known to disproportionately affect gas-exposed populations, such as respiratory illnesses and mental health disorders, remained significantly higher throughout the last 16 years. Both obstructive and restrictive types of respiratory diseases were 1.7 to 2 times higher in the gas-exposed group compared to the unexposed population," physician Dr Usha Arya of the Trust said.

"Depression was found to be 2.7 times more prevalent in the gas-exposed group. Conditions not previously associated with gas exposure, like diabetes and hypertension, were found to be consistently and significantly shooting up in the last 16 years. Diabetes was found to be five times higher among the gas-exposed patients compared to the non-exposed. Hypertension was found to be over three times higher," Arya said.

Gynaecologist Dr Sonali Mittal said hormonal conditions such as early and premature menopause were 2.6 times more frequent in gas-exposed women than those who were not exposed.

"Kidney-related conditions, possibly ignited by the initial injury from MIC (Methyl Isocyanate) exposure, have remained seven times higher in the exposed group. Acute conditions like myocardial infarction and ischemic heart diseases were found to be 4.5 times more prevalent in the gas exposed population," pointed out physician Dr B Raghuram.

Shedding light on the neurological conditions, physician Dr P K Aswathi said hemiplegia and neuralgia were found to be almost four times more common in the gas-exposed group.

"Neuropathy, likely influenced by factors such as diabetes, was found to be seven times more prevalent in the exposed population. We also found that hypothyroidism, a metabolic disorder, has been rising over the past seven years in both populations but remains 1.7 times higher in the gas-exposed group," Awasthi said.

Sambhavna Trust founder trustee and consultant Satinath Sarangi said the data showed a consistent pattern of higher morbidity in both known and emerging conditions among gas victims even forty years after the horrific incident.

"These observations highlight the continuing critical need for specialized health care of the Bhopal survivors," he added.