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TEHRAN – Air pollution is the second leading cause of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and has a strong correlation with heart disease and stroke, diabetes and many respiratory diseases, said the health Minister.
"NCDs often associated with preventable risk factors such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and the harmful use of alcohol and tobacco are closely linked to recently-known environmental factors", said Wednesday Alireza Raeisi, quoted by the IRNA.
Referring to the first WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 30 October to 1 November, he stated that air pollution was the main risk to the environmental health of people around the world.
"Some 92% of the world's population breathe polluted air, even in the interior, which has affected more than 2 billion people, breathing pollutants such as wood smoke, fire cooking, etc., "he said.
In Iran, especially in metropolitan areas, air pollution is generally rising at an alarming rate in the second half of the year, Raeisi added, adding that, despite measures taken to mitigate traffic-related pollution, it was still far from the situation. desired and more serious. measures are needed in this regard.
He went on to explain that the issue of sand and dust storms hitting the provinces of Ahvaz, Sistan-Baluchestan and the south of the country is also worrying, with air pollution in these areas exceeding even further. security levels as the capital.
The World Health Organization has also stressed that all organizations and agencies must cooperate effectively to overcome this problem, he added.
The Ministry of Health is responsible for air pollution in two ways. First, it prepares an annual report on the impact of air pollution on public health, including deaths and diseases attributable to air pollution, then he develops training courses on the master in air pollution and train experts in this field, he explained.
He also added that many other tasks are the responsibility of other responsible agencies, including fuel quality control, traffic jams, polluting activities and industry closures.
All industrial units must be granted a non-polluting license, while more than 60 to 70% of the country's major industries do not have it, which is essential to reduce air pollution, has he stressed.
At least in recent years, the above-mentioned licenses have been severely repressed, which the ministry is also involved in, he concluded.
According to the WHO report entitled "Preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by reducing risk factors for the environment", indoor (outdoor) and household (indoor) air pollution caused more than 6 million deaths from these diseases in 2012.
Globally, 23% of all deaths could be prevented through healthier environments. Children are the most at risk, and there is growing evidence that early exposure to environmental hazards such as chemicals and air pollutants increases the risk of developing NCDs over the course of life.
Globally, almost one – third of the cardiovascular disease burden is attributable to indoor and outdoor air pollution of 17% and 13%, respectively, to second – hand tobacco smoke. 3% and 2% lead exposure. Worldwide, 29% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease deaths are attributable to indoor air pollution, 8% to outdoor air pollution and 11% to workplaces.
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