THE SILENT KILLER: ADDRESSING THE GROWING HEALTH IMPACT OF AIR POLLUTION

From advanced diagnostics and treatment protocols to infrastructure improvements and preventive strategies, healthcare providers are adapting their approaches to better serve patients in increasingly polluted environments.

- Nehal Gautam

Air pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing health challenges casting a long shadow over global health. "Air pollution has been increasing at an alarming rate and affecting the health of the people. It has become a public health management concern now," warned Dr. Navneet Sood, Senior Consultant and clinical lead - Pulmonology, Dharamshila Narayana Hospital, Delhi.

The scale of this crisis is staggering. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an overwhelming 99% of the global population is exposed to air that exceeds WHO-recommended quality limits. This exposure is particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries, where populations face the highest levels of polluted air. The human cost is devastating: approximately 7 million premature deaths occur annually due to air pollution, establishing it as one of the foremost environmental threats to human health. This toll is split between ambient (outdoor) air pollution, responsible for 4.2 million deaths, and household air pollution from dirty cookstoves and fuels, claiming 3.8 million lives annually.

The situation in India is particularly dire. The country bears responsibility for over 1.2 million deaths each year, according to WHO reports. The economic impact is equally severe, with yearly losses estimated at 150 million dollars. The 5th Annual World Air Quality Report by IQAir placed India 8th among countries with the worst Air Quality Index (AQI), with a striking 12 out of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia located within its borders.