Background

Air pollution is one of the most serious and preventable health threats facing children in India today. Nationally, toxic air contributes to hundreds of child deaths every day, and among children under five, air pollution is now the second leading cause of death worldwide, after malnutrition. The impact is especially stark in cities like Delhi, where a comparative study found that nearly a third of children suffered from respiratory problems, compared to under a fifth of children in rural areas, a gap driven by chronic exposure to particulate matter well above safe limits. Because children breathe faster and take in more air relative to their body weight than adults, and because their lungs and immune systems are still developing, they are disproportionately vulnerable to these effects, both indoors and outdoors. Addressing this requires more than awareness. It requires practical, community level interventions that reduce everyday exposure, alongside the public understanding needed to sustain them.

Sources:

• https://www.business-standard.com/health/air-pollution-toxic-air-kills-464-children-daily-in-india-2-000-worldwide-124061900353_1.html 

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32215114/