June 19th 2024.
In a report released on Wednesday by the Health Effects Institute, an independent research organization based in the US, it was revealed that air pollution played a major role in causing 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021. The highest number of fatalities were recorded in India and China, with 2.1 million and 2.3 million deaths, respectively.
The report also brought attention to the alarming fact that 169,400 children in India under the age of five lost their lives due to air pollution in 2021. Following closely were Nigeria with 114,100 child deaths, Pakistan with 68,100, Ethiopia with 31,100, and Bangladesh with 19,100.
According to the report, India had the highest number of deaths related to ozone-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder in 2021, accounting for almost 50% of the global deaths. China and Bangladesh followed closely behind.
In South Asia, air pollution was identified as the leading risk factor for deaths, surpassing high blood pressure, diet, and tobacco. It was also the second leading cause of death among children under five, after malnutrition.
The report highlighted that 2021 saw the highest number of deaths linked to air pollution compared to any other previous year. With populations of over 1 billion each, India and China accounted for more than half of the global disease burden.
Other countries in South Asia, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, as well as Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and African countries like Nigeria and Egypt, were also significantly impacted by air pollution.
The report estimated that 8.1 million deaths, which is approximately 12% of the total global deaths, were caused by air pollution in 2021. The majority of these deaths, about 7.8 million, were attributed to PM2.5 pollution, including both ambient PM2.5 and household air pollution.
PM2.5, which are tiny particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, can enter the lungs and bloodstream, leading to various health issues such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The report stated that PM2.5 is the most consistent and accurate predictor of poor health outcomes worldwide.
President of HEI, Elena Craft, stated that the report aims to provide information and inspiration for change. She emphasized the significant impact that air pollution has on human health and stressed the need for improving air quality globally.
Pallavi Pant, Head of Global Health at HEI, also expressed concern over the high number of deaths, particularly among young children, older populations, and low- and middle-income countries. She urged cities and countries to consider air pollution as a high-risk factor when developing health policies and programs for noncommunicable diseases.
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