About 1.7 Million Children Die Each Year Due To Pollution: WHO

Our environment plays a crucial role in our health and well-being. While we may take advantage of mother nature and not pay heed to all her gifts for us, it is only us in the end who are going to suffer. Take air pollution for instance. It is becoming a serious threat to our well-being, killing millions every year. As per a shocking report released by World Health Organization, it was revealed that environmental pollutants lead to the death of up to 1.7 million children under five, each year. The report is especially alarming as causes of these deaths include mundane and often neglected factors like lack of sanitation, poor hygiene practices and unsafe water, and also injuries. The report, which released on Monday, also stated that outdoor and indoor air pollution, including second hand smoke can also lead to an increased risk of pneumonia during childhood, as well chronic respiratory chronic respiratory diseases like asthma for the rest of their lives.

Margaret Chan, the director general of WHO, remarked that exposure to a polluted environment can prove to be a "deadly" deal particularly for young children. "Their developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water" she added.

Increased risk of heart diseases, stroke and cancer on exposure to air pollutants, were amongst the other risks highlighted in the report.

The statistics are a cause of distress to the entire world, which is struggling each day to cut down on the levels of pollution. Environmentalists and scientists across the globe are spending days and nights to come up with measures in curtailing the rise of pollution. The report also came in with handy precautionary measures.

The most common causes of child death like malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia can be prevented by measures like using insecticide-treated bed nets, better access to clean water and clean cooking fuels. Removing pests and mould from housing, reduced use of lead paints, good nutrition and sanitation in schools, and an enhanced urban planning accommodating more free space and greenery in concrete-packed cities are other potential pollution control measures suggested in the report

Inputs from IANS