CHARIKAR, PARWAN (SW) – As winter sets in, residents in various provinces, including Parwan, turn to coal as a primary source of heating for their homes, while this is common, toxic fumes of coal poses challenges and hardships for the residents of Parwan, which sometimes takes a toll on its residents.
Tragedy struck in Charikar, the capital of Parwan, a few days ago when a 21-year-old man lost his life due to toxic fumes of coal.
Mohammad Saber, the grieving father, recounted the incident to Salam Watandar, said “my son, a third-grade student at Parwan University, succumbed to the toxic fumes while attempting to heat the bathroom by burning coal without proper ventilation.”
Shahla, another resident of Charikar city who also experienced a similar situation as Saber, urges officials of the Parwan Public Health Department, the Environmental Protection Department of the province, and Charikar Municipality to aware and educate the public on the proper usage of gaseous fuels, including coal.
Meanwhile, doctors highlight that the most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include slow breathing, an elevated heart rate, headache, and vomiting.
Muzamel Azad, a general internal medicine specialist at Parwan’s 100-bed specialized hospital, says: “They are often brought to our emergency department. The affinity of carbon monoxide is several times higher than that of oxygen. If we recall its symptoms, it can start from a simple dizziness to coma or even death. Try to transfer those (patients) to the nearest health center.”
Specific statistics on the number of individuals affected by toxic fumes of coal incidents have not been provided. Abdul Khalil Haidari, chief physician of Parwan Public Hospital, however, says that the number of such patients increases in winter.
According to him, poverty and economic problems among families and lack of knowledge about the proper use of smoky and gaseous fuels are among the main factors contributing to people being affected toxic fumes of coal.
Hafizullah Mansoor, head of environmental protection in Parwan, mentions that they have disseminated information to the public about preventing air pollution through pulpits and mosques. However, people tend to disregard these recommendations.
