Polluted environment
kills 1.7 million children each year:
WHO
Every year, environmental risks - such as indoor and outdoor air
pollution, second-hand smoke, unsafe water, lack of sanitation and
inadequate hygiene - take the lives of 1.7 million children under five
years, the report said
Polluted environment kills 1.7 million children each year: WHO
Over one in four or an estimated 1.7 million global deaths of children
under five years of age each year are due to polluted or unhealthy
environments, the World Health Organisation said in a new report today.
Every year, environmental risks - such as indoor and outdoor air
pollution, second-hand smoke, unsafe water, lack of sanitation and
inadequate hygiene - take the lives of 1.7 million children under five
years, the report said.
The report reveals that a large portion of the most common causes of
death among children aged one month to five years diarrhoea, malaria and
pneumonia are preventable by interventions known to reduce
environmental risks, such as access to safe water and clean cooking
fuels.
"A polluted environment is a deadly one - particularly for young
children,"
Every year 570,000 children under five years die from respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, attributable to indoor and outdoor air
pollution, and second-hand smoke.
As many as 361,000 children under five years die due to diarrhoea, as a
result of poor access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, the report
said.
About 270,000 children die during their first month of life from
conditions, including prematurity, which could be prevented through
access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene in health facilities as
well as reducing air pollution.
The report said that 200,000 deaths of children under five years from
malaria could be prevented through environmental actions, such as
reducing breeding sites of mosquitoes or covering drinking-water
storage.
It also found that 200,000 children under five years die from
unintentional injuries attributable to the environment, such as
poisoning, falls and drowning.
"A polluted environment results in a heavy toll on the health of our
children," said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Public
Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.
"Investing in the removal of environmental risks to health, such as
improving water quality or using cleaner fuels, will result in massive
health benefits," said Neira
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