The disconnect: Why air pollution isn’t a public health priority, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Air pollution in the NCR is a year-round health problem, not just a seasonal one.
• Coal powers over 74% of India's electricity generation, contributing to pollution.
• Long-term exposure to PM2.5 is linked to increased non-communicable diseases and reduced life expectancy.
• The State of Global Air 2025 report estimated over two million pollution-attributable deaths in India in 2023.
• For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, annual mortality rises by 8.6 per cent and daily mortality by 1.4 per cent.

Detailed Insights:

• Air pollution's origins are hidden, and its health effects are hard to enumerate, making it difficult to prioritize as a public health issue.
• Particulate matter (PM) and toxic gases are continuously released by coal power plants, industrial clusters, diesel fleets, and brick kilns.
• Short-term exposure to air pollution can mimic seasonal illnesses, while long-term exposure leads to severe health issues like hypertension and lung cancer.
• Unlike diseases like Covid, air pollution is unavoidable in India, with nearly everyone breathing PM2.5 levels above the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m3.
• India's health data is scarce and underutilized due to the uneven adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• The National Outdoor and Disease Surveillance program tracks respiratory emergencies but lacks advanced analytical capabilities.
• Gaps between sectors generating pollution, regulating it, and monitoring health impacts lead to reactive measures instead of systemic solutions.

Key Concepts Involved:

• PM2.5: Fine inhalable particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less that can penetrate deeply into the lungs and bloodstream.
• AQI: Air Quality Index, a measure of air quality based on concentrations of various pollutants.
• EHR: Electronic Health Record, a digital version of a patient's chart, providing real-time, patient-centered records.