December 23 (IPS) – Air pollution is a global public health crisis, and air pollution levels in India are among the highest in the world, posing a threat heavy for the health and economy of the country. Follow World Air Quality Report 2019, India is home to 21 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world. In these cities, air quality can be up to 10 times higher than the safe limits for air pollution recommended by WHO.
Why is air pollution such an important issue?
Loss of life
According to State of Global Air 2020 report, air pollution was the leading risk factor for premature death worldwide in 2019 and is estimated to be the leading cause of death. 1.7 million premature deaths in India that year. The burden of disease due to air pollution is higher in low- and middle-income countries, accounting for about 91% die early, die early.
Economic damage
While the harmful effects of air pollution on health are well-recognised, its negative economic effects are less well studied. Output lost due to premature mortality and morbidity due to air pollution are calculated Economic damage 28.8 billion USD and 8 billion USD respectively in 2019. In India, the economic loss due to air pollution is equivalent to 1.36% of GDP of the country.
Why are children at a higher risk of disease?
According to a WHO reportEvery day, about 93% of children under the age of 15 around the world breathe air so polluted that their health and development is in serious danger. Children are at greater risk than adults from the many adverse health effects of air pollution due to a combination of behavioral, environmental and physiological factors. Some of the main reasons for this higher risk include:
- Children are more susceptible because their lungs, brain and immune systems are still developing, and their airways are more permeable.
- Children breathe more air per kilogram of body weight, and therefore are more likely to be exposed to air pollution than adults. The consequences of contact with them– by inhalation, ingestion or in utero – can lead to illness and other lifelong health burdens.
Effects of air pollution on children’s health and development?
Air pollution is one of the leading threats to child health, globally, accounting for nearly one in ten child deaths. under five years old. Around 8.8% of deaths among children under 5 years of age in India in 2017 could be attributed to air pollution, according to a The Lancet Study. Some of the effects on a child’s health and development include:
1. Serious diseases of the respiratory tract
Air pollution causes more 50 percent acute lower respiratory tract infections in children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries. It can lead to asthma, childhood cancer, chronic diseases, poor lung function, pneumonia, and other types of acute lower respiratory tract infections.
This learn from Delhi observed a statistically significant positive association between air pollution (PM10 levels) and the prevalence of lower respiratory tract symptoms. These symptoms are more common in girls than in boys. Every third child In Delhi, the lungs are weakened by the high levels of pollutants present in the city’s air.
2. Premature birth, infant mortality and negative impact on child development
Pregnant women Exposure to polluted air increases the risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies. A recent study from India revealed a negative effects of exposure Air pollution during the first trimester of pregnancy on infant growth indices.
Air pollution contributes almost 500,000 infant deaths worldwide in 2019. In India, one-fifth of all infant deaths can be attributed to air pollution.
This Lancet research shows a plausible link between air pollution and childhood stunting.
3. Negative effects on children’s neurological development
Long-term exposure to polluted air negatively affects neurodevelopment in children. According to WHO, new research have shown an association between prenatal exposure and high levels of air pollution and underdeveloped at age three, as well as later psychological and behavioral problems, including symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression. Air pollution affects children’s learning by exacerbating respiratory illnesses, fatigue, absenteeism and attention problems.
What is the way forward?
India has taken the following steps at the central and state levels to control pollution and improve air quality:
1. National Clean Air Program
Government of India National Clean Air Program is a powerful step forward in acknowledging and addressing the problem of air quality deterioration. It is a national strategy to tackle the country’s air pollution challenge, calling for a 20-30% reduction in particulate matter pollution by 2024.
2. Performance-based remittance to cities
In 2020, the central government has allocated about 1.7 billion USD for fight air pollution in 42 Indian cities with a population of more than one million. This is conditional on helping these cities reduce their air pollution levels by 15% per year. It is the world’s first performance-based financing transfer program to manage air quality in cities.
3. Coordinate action to improve air quality
Parliament passed a law in August 2021, establish an Air Quality Management Committee to better coordinate, research, identify and address air quality-related issues in the National Capital Region and regions vicinity.
However, more needs to be done. The air pollution challenge in India is inherently multidisciplinary. Policies and investments to support cleaner transport, power generation and industry; Energy-efficient homes, and better municipal waste management will reduce the main sources of outdoor air pollution. Experience in dealing with air pollution In cities, three possible ways are proposed:
- Disseminate information about health problems and risks.
- Provide incentives for cities/states and other stakeholders to tackle air pollution.
- Build institutions to support air quality management. This requires adequate funding and a sustained focus on capacity building.
It takes the right mix of political will, proper implementation, and a strong compliance mechanism from both the government and the private sector. Okay Prime Minister Narendra ModiRecent Indian announcements that India wants to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070, the time to act is right now.
The author of this opinion editorial, Dr. Vinod Kumar Anand, is a technical consultant on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) at Save India’s Children.
This story was original publication by the Indian Development Review (IDR)
© Inter Press Service (2021) – All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service
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