The Sambhavana Trust Clinic, a charitable NGO working for survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, claimed on Monday that while rates of several gas exposure-induced diseases continue to remain high, there are several new diseases that are manifesting at a much higher rate among the gas-exposed survivors compared to the unexposed population.

Presenting clinical data to corroborate its findings, members of the Trust said at a press conference on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the tragedy today that the findings are based on the analysis of clinical data of 16305 gas-exposed and 8106 unexposed patients who received care at the Clinic in the last 16 years.

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According to the Sambhavna Trust, the data highlights the need for continued medical research and sustained healthcare services for the survivors of the disaster.

According to Dr Usha Arya, a physician at the Clinic, “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.”

“Depression was observed to be 2.7 times more prevalent in the gas-exposed group. Conditions not previously associated with gas exposure, like diabetes and hypertension, were curiously found to be consistently and significantly elevated over the last 16 years. Diabetes was found to be five times higher among the gas-exposed patients than the non-exposed. Likewise, hypertension was found over three times higher,” she added.

Dr Sonali Mittal, a gynecologist at the Clinic, pointed out that hormonal conditions such as early and premature menopause are diagnosed 2.6 times more in gas-exposed women compared to those not exposed.

Dr B Raghuram, a physician at the Clinic, said, “Kidney-related conditions, possibly triggered by the initial injury from MIC (Methyl Isocyanate) exposure, remained seven times higher in the exposed group. Acute conditions like myocardial infarction and ischemic heart diseases were found 4.5 times more prevalent in the gas-exposed population.”

Elaborating on the neurological conditions more prevalent among the gas-exposed patients, Sambhavna Clinic’s Physician Dr P K Aswathi said, “We find Hemiplegia and Neuralgia almost four times more common in the gas-exposed group. Neuropathy, likely influenced by factors such as diabetes, was found seven times more in the exposed population. We also find 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.”

Dr Satinath Sarangi, founder trustee and consultant of Sambhavna Trust, said, “Our data clearly shows a consistent pattern of higher morbidity in both known and emerging conditions among gas victims even in the fourth decade since the disaster. These observations highlight the continuing critical need for specialized health care of the Bhopal survivors.”

According to official figures, about 5,500 people were killed and five lakh injured due to the leak of MIC from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984. It is termed to be one of the world’s worst industrial disasters.