(Environmental Column)
By: Mohamed Sahr & Hafsatu Bangura
Air Pollution is among the prominent climate change issues deteriorating the green planet to its very core, and it constitutes one of the top-tier contributors towards the damaging of every organ and virtually every cell in human body, according to a comprehensive new global review of World Health Organization. In fact there is nothing good to write home about even to the survivor of plants and biodiversity, unless for the systemic damage to the pollutants it produces which in turn causes serious health challenge when inhaled and absorbed. These pollutants are deemed unproductive and have caused a growing health-related problems vis-a-vis from heart and lung disease to diabetes and dementia, also from liver problems and bladder cancer to brittle bones and damaged skin. Worst of it all is this toxic air affects the fertilization of fetuses in pregnant woman. Systemic inflammation is the key reason for the far-reaching damage from air pollution.
Seemingly, the harmful impacts of dirty air begins when the pollution is inhaled and the aspect of breathing becomes a problem. The health difficulty evolves from asthma to emphysema to lung cancer. It is evidence that there is now a disappointing reality that air pollution gravely transpires not only to the lungs, but also to the heart. On the basis of that, it accelerates the risk of having heart attack as arteries become narrow and muscles sink. The study states.
Double earlier estimates from world renowned scientists have classed air pollution a bigger killer than tobacco smoking. Being a public health emergency that has ravaged the globe through an enduring toxic outdoor air, WHO analysis demonstrates that 8.8 million early deaths across the world occur each year. That is to say, the possibility to attain a perfect health condition for young, old children, minority people, people with disabilities and indigenous people cannot be validated even in developed countries where you may think of solutions to tackle this hate. However, polluting the air is a social involvement as a result of overcrowding and centralization in major countries in the world. Dr. Maria Neira, WHO director of public and environmental health has this to say “There are more than 70,000 scientific papers to demonstrate that air pollution is affecting our health and it adds to the very heavy evidence already.”
Rapid reduction of intellectual performances resulting to strokes and dementia are the restricting factors affecting the brain which has already been exposed to air pollution.
On another wave, damage of the abdominal organs is another effect of air pollution. Among the many other organs affected is the liver. The research highlights that the liver’s role in removing toxins from the body gives chance for the dirty air to produce smaller particles otherwise microbes which numerous cancers are liable to store in the body including the bladder and the gut.
Crowning it all, perhaps the most disturbing impact of toxic air is the damage to reproduction and children. It is highly likely for fertility to drastically reduce and when that happens, miscarriages increase on commendable heights by the exposure to air pollution during pregnancy. The study further finds out that even the unborn are affected due to pollutants in the placentas that do enrich fetuses. Also, air pollution is firmly linked to low birth weights for babies among others. Therefore, being unprotected to dirty air leads to stunted lungs, rise in obesity, leukemia and series of mental health problems.