Mir Hasnain Iqbal
With the onset of winter, Kashmir begins to witness a familiar but troubling scene. Coughs, colds, fever and other respiratory illnesses become common, affecting children, elderly people, women and people of all ages. Hospitals and clinics receive patients seeking relief, while many families find themselves caught in days of discomfort, sleepless nights and repeated visits to doctors.
I experienced this myself recently. What began as a cough and cold forced me to visit the hospital more than once and take medicines for several days. Recovery was slow, and getting back to normal took considerable time. During this period, I noticed many others struggling with similar complaints. Some expressed frustration, questioning why medicines seemed to take so long to work. Others wondered whether the medicines available in the market were genuine. Their concerns deserve attention. Yet slow recovery does not necessarily mean that a medicine is fake or ineffective. Viral infections can take time to resolve, and the wrong treatment cannot cure an illness for which it is unsuitable. Nevertheless, when so many people experience similar difficulties, it is worth looking beyond the prescription and asking a more fundamental question: Are we doing enough to protect our health before illness strikes?
Health Is More Than A Prescription: Modern medicine has transformed human life. It has saved millions of lives, made once-fatal diseases treatable and brought relief to countless families. Medicines, hospitals and qualified healthcare professionals remain indispensable. But medical treatment, however advanced, cannot compensate for every unhealthy condition in which people are forced to live. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the homes in which we live are as relevant to our well-being as the medicines we take. Poverty, poor sanitation, inadequate nutrition, environmental pollution and limited access to healthcare can all undermine health. Yet these underlying factors often receive less attention than the treatment of illness itself. We readily visit a doctor when a cough becomes unbearable, but how often do we question the quality of the air inside our homes? We worry about fever, but do we pay equal attention to polluted water, unhealthy surroundings and the conditions that allow infections to spread? These questions deserve serious consideration, particularly in Kashmir, where winter brings its own challenges.
When Winter Exposes Our Vulnerabilities: Cold weather can encourage people to spend longer periods indoors. Poor ventilation, overcrowding, damp housing and exposure to smoke from heating or cooking can aggravate respiratory problems. Air pollution from vehicles, heating systems and the burning of waste adds to the burden, especially for children, older people and those with existing respiratory conditions. Seasonal respiratory infections are caused by a range of viruses and other pathogens; cold weather alone does not explain their spread. Nevertheless, indoor crowding and inadequate ventilation can create conditions that favour transmission. Simple precautions can make a difference. Ventilating rooms safely, maintaining hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding close contact when ill and protecting vulnerable family members can reduce risks. People experiencing severe or worsening symptoms should seek medical attention rather than rely entirely on home remedies or advice from acquaintances. Prevention may not attract the same attention as a new medicine, but it can spare people considerable suffering.
Are Our Medicines Ineffective? One concern repeatedly voiced by patients is that medicines no longer work as they should. Such perceptions must be approached with care rather than dismissed or accepted without evidence.
Recovery depends on several factors, including the nature of the illness, the patient’s general health, the suitability of the treatment and the time required for the body to recover. Antibiotics, for instance, do not treat viral infections such as the common cold. Their unnecessary use can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, making certain bacterial infections harder to treat. At the same time, the quality of medicines must never be taken for granted. Regulatory authorities have a responsibility to ensure that medicines meet required quality standards. Suspected substandard or falsified products must be investigated, and patients should have confidence in the medicines prescribed to them. People should obtain medicines from legitimate sources and follow professional medical advice. If symptoms persist or worsen, a medical reassessment may be necessary. Stopping prescribed medicines, changing doses or taking antibiotics without medical guidance can create further problems. The answer lies neither in blindly trusting every product nor in assuming that medicines are fake whenever recovery is slow. It lies in scientific evidence, effective regulation, responsible prescribing and informed patients.
“True public health in Kashmir requires addressing foundational environmental and societal factors alongside medical treatment. True health depends on clean air, safe water, proper sanitation, sound housing, quality-assured medicine, and accurate public information. Because Kashmir’s natural environment directly sustains human life, conservation is an essential public health investment that prevents illness before it begins.”
The Environment Is Part of the Prescription: We often speak of environmental protection as though it were a separate concern, reserved for conservationists and government departments. In reality, environmental degradation can become a public-health problem. Polluted air can worsen respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Contaminated water can spread disease. Poor sanitation and unmanaged waste can expose communities to health hazards. The loss of green spaces and the destruction of natural ecosystems can further diminish the quality of the places where we live.
Kashmir’s rivers, streams and springs deserve particular attention. The pollution of water bodies, including the pressures affecting Doodh Ganga, is not merely a matter of lost natural beauty. Protecting water quality is essential for communities, ecosystems and future generations. The same principle applies to our agricultural lands and food systems. Responsible use of agricultural chemicals, safe food handling and access to nutritious food all matter to public health. Farmers need scientific guidance and practical alternatives that enable them to protect both their livelihoods and the environment. Climate change adds another layer of concern. Changes in temperature and precipitation can affect water availability, agriculture, livelihoods and the distribution of certain infectious diseases. The resulting pressures on food security and living conditions can have consequences for human well-being. A damaged environment eventually sends its bill to society. Some of that bill is paid through lost livelihoods; some through deteriorating living conditions; and some through illness and the cost of treatment.
Poverty Can Make Illness Harder to Bear: Not everyone has the same opportunity to remain healthy. For a financially secure family, a medical consultation, diagnostic test or prescribed medicine may be manageable. For a low-income household, the same expenses can mean borrowing money, delaying treatment or sacrificing other essential needs. Inadequate housing, insufficient heating, poor nutrition and limited access to healthcare can make vulnerable families particularly susceptible to hardship during winter. Distance from medical facilities and transport costs may further delay treatment. These inequalities remind us that public health cannot be secured through individual effort alone. Affordable healthcare, accessible medical facilities, reliable public information and adequate social support are essential. Education also plays a vital role. People need to understand how infections spread, when medical advice is necessary, why antibiotics should not be misused and how everyday choices influence health. Health awareness should be a regular part of school education and community programmes, not merely a response to an outbreak.
Health Begins in the Community The responsibility for a healthier Kashmir cannot rest on doctors and hospitals alone. Families, schools, local authorities, healthcare institutions and community organisations must all contribute. Families can promote healthy eating, hygiene and responsible medicine use. Schools can teach children the relationship between environmental quality and human well-being. Local authorities can improve sanitation, protect water sources, regulate waste disposal and address pollution. Healthcare professionals can strengthen preventive advice and help patients distinguish reliable medical information from rumours.
Mental health deserves equal attention. Financial insecurity, prolonged illness, social isolation, conflict and displacement can create psychological distress and disrupt access to medical care. A comprehensive approach to health must recognise emotional well-being alongside physical health. Sustainable development, too, must be understood as a public-health necessity. Roads, buildings, industries and other infrastructure may be important for economic progress, but development that destroys water sources, pollutes the air or removes essential green spaces can impose long-term costs on the very communities it is meant to serve. Progress should improve people’s lives, not undermine the natural foundations on which those lives depend.
Let Us Treat The Causes, Not Just The Symptoms: My recent experience with a persistent cough and cold was a personal inconvenience. But seeing so many others struggling with similar illnesses prompted a broader reflection. Perhaps we need to look beyond the medicine cabinet and pay closer attention to the conditions that shape our health. This does not mean choosing nature over modern medicine. It means recognising that both have essential roles. A person who needs medical treatment must receive it, while society must also work to reduce the environmental, economic and social risks that make people vulnerable to illness. We cannot expect healthier communities while ignoring polluted air, unsafe water, poor sanitation, unhealthy housing and inadequate nutrition. Nor can we build public confidence by dismissing legitimate concerns about medicine quality or allowing misinformation to spread unchecked. Kashmir’s natural wealth is more than a source of pride. Its forests, rivers, springs, fertile lands and green spaces sustain life and contribute to human well-being. Protecting them is not an optional environmental activity; it is an investment in public health. Perhaps the most important lesson is also the simplest: a tablet may treat an illness, but a healthy environment, sound public policy and informed communities can help prevent suffering in the first place. A healthier Kashmir will require more than better prescriptions. It will require cleaner surroundings, safer living conditions, accessible healthcare and a collective determination to protect the foundations of life itself.
(The author is a teacher and Environmental Science researcher pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the authors and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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