Air pollution: A silent killer of people and planet?
How people cook their food, how nations generate power directly impact the health of millions worldwide and planet Earth's ability to support human life. For example, in Bangladesh alone, in-home polluted air from wood or coal-powered stoves and outdoor pollution from power stations and unplanned construction causes over 200,000 annual deaths from respiratory diseases.
Recently, Digital Hospital undertook a clinical study of its patients with Asthma and COPD, both of which are aggravated by air pollution. A Brahmanbaria housewife has had Asthma for a long time. She frequently uses a mud stove, which is a significant source of indoor air pollution in Bangladesh. She consulted a doctor in 2018 and then again in 2021, this time from Digital Hospital.
Her first severe asthma attack cost her approximately 5,000 Taka and disrupted her life since she could not adequately care for her children. Her kid also has asthma, which she and her family feel are related to indoor pollution. She said, "Asthma nearly destroyed my life, and now it affects my daughter. We breathe in dirty air all day."
Bangladesh being a developing country, one of its biggest concerns currently is air pollution. As per the World Air Quality Report, it has repeatedly been listed as the country with the worst air quality . The report also states that with the annual average particulate matter (PM) 2.5 concentrations of 77.1 micrograms per cubic meter, Dhaka ranks as one of the most polluted capital cities in the world.
Sadly, the lowest earners in the slums are the most harmed by pollution. Because they work in unsanitary and polluted environments without sufficient protective gear and fail to acquire timely healthcare services due to a lack of income and wealth, in addition, pollution-related health issues can develop gradually and become highly complex. Thus, early management from the government and volunteers can help reduce disease-related harm.
The writer is the Co-Founder of Digital Hospital.
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