NEW DELHI, Oct 20: With 25 lakh people facing premature death in India in 2015 due to various types of pollution, India has the dubious distinction of leading the world in the number of pollution-related deaths, a study by a reputed medical journal has revealed.
A study by The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health published on Friday says that out of 90 lakh pollution-related deaths in 2015 across the world, 25 lakh people died prematurely in India due to diseases linked to air, water and other forms of pollution. China followed closely with 18 lakh deaths in 2015 due to pollution.
“Pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death in the world today. Diseases caused by pollution were responsible for an estimated 9 million premature deaths in 2015, 16% of all deaths worldwideand three times more deaths than from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined and 15 times more than from all wars and other forms of violence. In the most severely affected countries, pollution-related disease is responsible for more than one death in four”, the Lancet report said.
The report says that most of the deaths were reported in low and middle income countries, and in countries such as India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, which moving towards industrialisation. The report also said pollution related diseases results in health-care costs that are responsible for 1.7 % of annual health spending in high-income countries and for up to 7 % health spending in middle-income countries that are heavily polluted and rapidly developing.
Pollution in low-income and middle-income countries is caused by industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, and toxic chemicals, the report said. The report further said that more than 70 % of the pollution related deaths were due to non-communicable diseases such as stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
Pollution disproportionately kills the poor and the vulnerable, the reports warns, and nearly 92% of pollution-related deaths happen in low-income and middle-income countries and, in countries at every income level, disease caused by pollution is most prevalent among minorities and the marginalised.
The report published in the Lancet was part of a two year project that involved more than 40 international health and environmental authors, including India. (UNI)
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