The Billboard that Breathes!
Have you ever wondered what vehicular emissions, construction/road dust and other gaseous pollutants do to your lungs?
‘Billboard that Breaths’at Apollo Cancer Centre, Teynampet throws light on the serious health risk that arises due to pollutants in our atmosphere. What pollutants could cause to us is impersonated by the artificial giant size white lungs installed at Apollo Cancer Centre. Eventually the lungs is bound to turn completely black. The Air Quality Index reading were as below on the following days. On a average the air quality index remains at 141.
| Date | Air Quality Index |
| 15 Feb 2020 | 141 |
| 21st Feb 2020 | 157 |
| 23rd Feb 2020 | 180 |
| 27th Feb 2020 | 181 |
This is an initiative by Apollo Hospitals, Chennai as part of the Climate Action Month. Along with Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and Jhatkaa.org. ‘The Billboard that Breathes’ is a unique installation that depicts the human lungs, retrofitted with HEPA filters and a fan that mimics breathing, to visually demonstrate the impact of air pollution. You can witness the greying lungs as they breathe polluted air, day by day.
The focus of this month-long event is to demystify climate emergency and draw attention to the need for concerted action at the individual and collective level to address it.
Apart from negatively impacting cardio-vascular health, polluted air is known to be a leading cause of lung cancer and other cancers linked to the oral cavity. “In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) confirmed that outdoor air pollution is a cause of cancer. Tiny dust-like particles just millionths of a metre wide, called ‘particulate matter’, make up a part of outdoor air pollution. The smallest particles known as PM10 and PM2.5 are linked to lung cancers caused by pollution” says the Cancer Research UK. A WHO report estimates that about 4.2 million premature deaths globally are linked to ambient air pollution, mainly from heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections in children.
Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from thermal power plants, industries and automobiles. The PM levels will be monitored and real time reading will be displayed as part of the installation.
Help us raise awareness by sharing this message across Namma Chennai.
#LetChennaiBreathe #ApolloHospitals
ABOUT APOLLO HOSPITALS
It was in 1983, that Dr.Prathap Reddy made a pioneering endeavour by launching India’s first corporate hospital – Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Over the years Apollo Hospitals has established itself as home to the largest cardiac practice in India with over 160,000 cardiac surgeries. Apollo Hospitals is also the world’s largest private cancer care provider and runs the world’s leading solid organ transplant program.
As Asia’s largest and most trusted healthcare group, its presence includes 9,215 beds across 64 Hospitals, 2,500 Pharmacies, over 90 Primary Care and Diagnostic Clinics, 110 plus Telemedicine Centres and 80 plus Apollo Munich Insurance branches spanning the length and breadth of the Country.
As an integrated healthcare service provider with Health Insurance services, Global Projects Consultancy capability, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell & genetic research Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of new medical breakthroughs with the most recent investment being that of commissioning the first Proton Therapy Center across Asia, Africa and Australia in Chennai, India. Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives, in its mission to bring healthcare of International standards within the reach of every individual.
