Air Pollution Now Second Leading Cause of Death in India
MUMBAI: Shocking statistics reveal that every day, 464 children under the age of 5 lose their lives in India due to air pollution-related causes. This data comes from the latest ‘State of Global Air (SoGA) 2024’ report released by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI). In 2021, a total of 2.1 million deaths were attributed to air pollution in India, surpassing risks like tobacco and diabetes.
The report further highlights that globally, 8.1 million people succumbed to air pollution-related diseases in 2021, with India and China accounting for 55% of these deaths. HEI’s Pallavi Pant stated that air pollution has significantly impacted non-communicable diseases in India, with alarming numbers linking it to heart disease, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and COPD fatalities.
The main culprit behind these deaths is the microscopic PM2.5 particles, responsible for the majority of air pollution-related fatalities worldwide. Other pollutants like household air pollution and ozone also play a significant role in this health crisis.
The SoGA report, produced in collaboration with Unicef for the first time, also shed light on the millions living with chronic diseases due to air pollution. Children under 5 years old are particularly vulnerable, facing various health issues like premature birth, low birth weight, asthma, and lung diseases.
Despite these alarming figures, air pollution-related ailments are not classified as notifiable diseases under government regulations, raising concerns about the lack of urgency in addressing this critical issue.
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