ISLAMABAD - Capital hospitals are receiving more than 700 patients a day, as the pollen count in the city has reached its peak. Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), which is treating as many as 400 patients per day, has established 29 treatment points in its emergency department which are provided with oxygen cylinders and nebulizers. The hospital's Outdoor Patients Department (OPD) and Filter Clinic are also providing treatment to the allergy patients. Similarly, National Institute of Health (NIH) and Polyclinic are also receiving as many as 300 patients collectively. However, Rehana Kausar, Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonology, PIMS, claims that the situation is quite better this year. "A considerable decrease in number of pollen allergy patients has been occurred this year", Rehana told while talking to TheNation on Monday. She said that last year the hospital received more than 800 patients a day during the peak of allergy season. She said the Capital Development Authority (CDA)'s campaign against the male paper mulberry species was a great help in reducing the pollen count, thus reducing the number of patients. Also, she said, 'blocking treatment' PIMS was providing to the patients had reduced the number of patients as compared to the last year. Explaining the particular treatment, Professor Rehana explained that last year they started categorising patients into four groups in terms of the intensity of the allergy. She said the patients are being directed to consult the hospital before the onset of the allergy season so that they are administered preventive treatment. The 'blocking treatment', she said, has thus greatly helped in early recovery of the patients and reducing their number, too. She said during the current year, PIMS was receiving only 60 to 70 patients a day. However, she said, a sharp upsurge was witnessed since last ten days. Like most of the health experts, she also held male paper mulberry plant as a main reason for causing high pollen count in the Capital. "I have been working at PIMS as a pulmonologist for the last ten years and I have conducted a number of researches on pollen allergy and its causes". "I belong to the group of health experts that consider male paper mulberry as main reason for causing high pollen count and resulting in making thousands of people pollen allergic" she continued. She opined that a single male paper mulberry tree sheds thousands of pollen whereas other plants and flowerers only contribute 15 to 20 percent of the total pollen count recorded in a day. Dr Zaman ex-head of the Chest Department and Medical ICU PIMS said, inhaler is the best treatment given to pollen allergy patients. He strongly dismissed the misconception that prevails in general public about inhaler as most of the patients consider it as the last treatment satge. "Inhaler is the safest, cheapest and easiest way of reducing allergy intensity and providing immediate relief to patients" he continued. "It has no side effect and its continuous use can not harm pollen allergy patients at any stage he added". He said that doctors must not treat pollen allergy patients with injectable drugs, because it may cause cardiac arrest to patient resulting in his or her death. "Inhaler is the most recommended treatment given to pollen allergy patients and in serious cases patients should be given nebulizer" It is pertinent to mention that every year during spring season, in Islamabad and its suburbs, there is an epidemic of pollen allergy that usually starts from mid- February and continues till the end of April every yea.