New Delhi : Air pollution is hazardous to health and governments should prioritise the health of citizens by ensuring clean air as people recover from COVID-19, 'Doctors for Clean Air' conclave observed on Sunday.
The conclave was held on the occasion of the United Nations' first-ever 'International day of clean air for blue skies'. The conclave was conducted in a mode of a webinar where multi-disciplinary doctors including seven medical associations representing over 1,50,000 doctors discussed the necessity of clean air and possible ways to achieve it.
Air pollution causes over 7 million premature deaths across the world, with 1.2 million people in India alone.
State of Global Air 2019, published by Health Effects Institute, said that long-term exposure to indoor and ambient (outdoor) air pollution in the country is found to be linked to nearly 5 million deaths from non-communicable diseases like stroke, diabetes, heart attack, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases.
The conclave also acted as a torchbearer to discuss the role of doctors in advocating for clean air.
Dr Maria Neira, Director, Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health Department (PHE), World Health Organization, said, "As a health professional, I have seen first-hand what air pollution does to our bodies, to our lungs, and to our brains. Polluted air, largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels, affects almost all major organs in our bodies. It is responsible for the premature death of over 1 million Indians every year and brings huge healthcare costs to Indian families and the economy. Health professionals have a duty of care, and they take up a trusted position in society."
The doctors also discussed "Health impacts of air pollution on pregnant women and newborn children's heart, lungs and brain".