WHO: Every year 4 million people die from air pollution

According to WHO data, each year 4.2 million people die from exposure to polluted air. Recently, the number of cases of respiratory diseases has increased, causing many hospitals to be overloaded.

Scary figures on air pollution

In addition, the World Health Organization said that each year 3.8 million people die from exposure to kitchen smoke, dirty fuels; 91% of the world's population lives in areas with poor air quality exceeding the permitted level.

These are alarming numbers about environmental pollution not only in Vietnam but around the world.

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Vu Van Giap - General Secretary of the Vietnam Respiratory Association, deputy director of Respiratory Center, Bach Mai Hospital - warns this is a silent killer. They directly affect the elderly, pregnant women, and children.

BSCKII Nguyen Hoang Phong, Head of Respiratory Department 1, Children's Hospital 2, said that the department is always in a state of overload because patients come to the hospital for a sharp increase in treatment.

Children's Hospital has hundreds of respiratory examinations / day

This time is considered the highest rise in respiratory disease of the year. Because it coincides at the peak of the disease season every year (the month of changing season from September to November). Another equally influential cause is that the pollution index is always at an alarming level, harmful to health.

At Children's Hospital 2 (HCMC), the average daily inpatient department is about 280-300 patients / day. Particularly in August and September, up to 180,000 patients came to dry autopsy, asthma.

Children Hospital 1, from August to October, the number of pediatric patients coming for medical examination due to respiratory diseases increased about 12% over the same period last year. In which, the most are children under 5 years old.

Air pollution harms adults, children and pregnant women

According to Assoc. These include asthma, allergies, lung obstruction, emphysema, and even lung cancer.

The reason is that the first organ affected by fine dust and polluted air is the respiratory system. Some local signs include cough, sore throat, runny nose, stuffy nose and flu-like symptoms.

In addition, fine dust also causes symptoms such as airway inflammation, bronchitis, decreased lung function, increased risk of respiratory tract infections, lung fibrosis, increased risk of stroke.

Pregnant women, in particular, when exposed to polluted air for a long time, will lead to impaired lung function of the newborn born later. This is also a factor that increases miscarriages and birth defects. Every year, 600,000 children under the age of 5 die from the effects of air pollution.

These consequences are very dangerous to health but do not appear immediately, when it becomes apparent, it is difficult to recover.

Health protection measures against air pollution

The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates indoor air pollution can be eight times higher than outdoor air pollution. Therefore, people need to pay special attention to keep the indoor air clean by a number of measures:

Keep the house always dry, cool, hygienic, vacuumed, clean furniture and floors regularly to limit dust accumulation.

Using various types of air conditioners and air purifiers to release free OH radicals, absorb the hydrogen of pollutants in order to inhibit their activity.

Other health protection measures

Clean eyes and nose every day to clean bacteria and dirt. It assists in eliminating agents of rhinitis, sinusitis.

Do not pick your nose or rub your eyes when there are signs of itching or inflammation.

Drink plenty of water to dilute mucus. Water helps to drain the nose of sinuses better, avoid stagnant bacteria, dirt. It makes the drainage of the nose and sinuses better, avoiding stagnant dirt, bacteria.

Add green vegetables, vitamins to ensure resistance, healthy body from the inside.

Wear a mask, wear glasses, and a sunscreen when moving outside to reduce exposure to dust. Limit traffic at peak hours, avoid heavily polluted areas such as industrial parks, highways ...

Limit playing outdoors during times of high air pollution

Hopefully, with the above information, your family has updated useful knowledge to take care of your health in the face of current air pollution!

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