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Ex-WHO Scientist: Air Pollution Equals COVID Danger
11 Nov
Summary
- Air pollution impacts nearly every organ, posing a public health emergency.
- Pollution harms children from fetal stages, affecting development and birth weights.
- A new Air Quality Health Index is proposed to better track pollution's health impacts.
Air pollution poses a significant public health emergency, comparable to COVID-19, according to former WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan. She highlights that while invisible for much of the year, pollution inflicts irreversible damage on nearly every organ.
The impact begins even before birth, affecting fetal development, leading to premature births and low birth weight. Children breathing polluted air experience stunted lung growth and developmental issues. Dr. Swaminathan stresses that this slow-moving crisis sacrifices the health of an entire generation.
She proposes shifting from the Air Quality Index (AQI) to an Air Quality Health Index (AHQI) that better reflects pollutants' specific health impacts. For children, she suggests improving school environments with air purifiers and masks rather than closures, ensuring educational continuity for all socioeconomic groups.
Dr. Swaminathan outlined five non-negotiables: a national clean air program, long-term investment and study of global pollution strategies, empowered leadership, an expert panel for planning, and prioritizing health outcomes. She concluded that the right to clean air is a fundamental public health entitlement.
