Tuesday 13 August 2024

‘8.1m people die from air pollution’

New report shows that air pollution was the second largest risk factor of deaths in 2021

The collaborative State of Global Air report, 2024, shows that 8.1 million people died from air pollution in 2021.

The report finds that people in low and middle income countries, especially those in South Asia and Africa are exposed to 1.3 to 4 times higher levels of ambient PM 2.5.

These countries also face the highest number of diseases caused by air pollution including 30 percent of deaths from lower respiratory infections, 28 percent of deaths from ischemic heart disease and 48% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Air pollution also accounts for nearly 30% of deaths in infants in South Asia and East, West, Central and Southern Africa.

In 2021, India (169,400 deaths), Nigeria (114,100 deaths), Pakistan (68,100 deaths), Ethiopia (31,100 deaths) and Bangladesh (19,100 deaths) saw the largest numbers of air pollution–related deaths among these children. In total, 700,000 children died in 2021 due to air pollution.

Dr Arvind Kumar said: 'I have been practicing chest surgeries for three decades now and in those three decades, I have seen a significant change in the colour of lungs.

'When I started practicing in 1988, 95 percent of my lung cancer patients were smokers, mostly men in their 50s and 60s. Today, 50 percent of my patients are non smokers, 40 percent of my patients are also women and the peak age has gone down from 50s and 60s to 40 and 30 year olds. There are also some patients who are in their 20s who live very close to polluted sites. I rarely see a healthy pink lung anymore, even in teenagers.'

In March 2024, the UN Environmental Assembly passed a resolution on air pollution, calling for greater cooperation and development of air quality management programs.

However, even with suggested improvements in air quality, diseases caused by air pollution are expected to rise as populations grow and age.