Telangana Police Force Blighted By Heart, Lung Ailments

More policemen are dying from health ailments than bullets in Telangana, show statistics that throw light on how the police force is besieged with cardiac, lung and liver diseases. In the last seven months alone, 67 cops have died due to avoidable health issues.

Several surveys since 2010 have revealed how the health of a sizeable number of cops, from the level of constables to inspectors, is in extreme poor shape, admitted the 50,000-member strong Telangana State Police Officers' Association (TSPOA).


Last week, a series of tests were conducted on 55 traffic cops from the traffic station at Punjagutta, one of the busiest stretches in the city . Alarmingly, the results revealed that 20 of them (36%) are suffering from shortness of breath.In fact, six cops tested positive for allergic bronchitis. 

“Difficulty in breathing is a professional hazard for traffic police personnel, but it can be minimized by taking precautions,“ said Dr Yugandhar Bhatt, pulmonologist at Care Hospitals. Health specialists are concerned that a similar percentage of the city's 3,000-odd traffic cops may be suffering from pulmonary diseases due to the ill effects of pollution.

In fact, the vulnerability of traffic personnel to pollution was studied in depth by the Allergy and Asthma Network of India (AANI), which administered tests using Peak Flow Meter (studying the working of lungs) on 300 traffic officers in Warangal urban and Warangal rural police jurisdictions. The study was held in three phases in 2010, 2012 and 2014. 

The comprehensive study found that 60 out of 300 (20%) traffic personnel suffered from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), 20% had high blood pressure, and 30% (90) complained of severe headache, neck pain and other stress-related issues. “We found 30% of traffic personnel showing allergic symptoms like rashes, sinusitis and running nose,“ said Dr Vyakaranam Nageshwar, CEO of AANI.

However, besides pollution, TSPOA state president Y Gopi Reddy blamed other factors such as inadequate rest, odd food timings, work-related stress and even addiction to liquor for the waning health of cops, especially those who have crossed the age of 40. As former president of Nalgonda district police officers' association, Gopi Reddy had supervised a mega health check-up camp, which saw the participation of 1,000 police personnel in 2010. “We found 35% with high blood pressure and 30% with blood sugar problem. However, the nature of our job does not leave scope for weekly offs, yearly health check-ups, and having food on time with adequate rest,“ he said.

An analysis of records made available by city-based KIMS hospital showed that the hospital alone treated 470 policemen in 2014 under the Police Arogya Bhadratha Scheme. Of those treated, 20-25% had gastric problems, 10-15% came with cardiac ailments, 20-25% had neurological and orthopaedic complaints and 10% arrived with pulmonary problems.

While advising TSPOA members to take their health seriously, Gopi Reddy said things are likely to change with the Telangana government deciding to make yearly check-ups compulsory for all cops instead of only personnel aged above 40.