Air and water are essential natural
resources for the survival of all living beings on this planet. After the industrial
revolution, some 250 years back, the population of human beings started
increasing rapidly due to improvements in the global standard of life.
Presently, the population stands at 7 billion plus. More than 55 % of the world’s
population resides in urban areas. Energy is the main driving force for this
growth. The main sources of this energy are fossil fuels like coal and petroleum
products like diesel, petrol, LPG, CNG etc.
Alongside providing energy, these fossil
fuels generate emissions, such as CO2, CO, NO2, SO2 when used for producing
energy. These emissions are known as Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), because they tend
to trap heat on the planet. This is leading to a phenomenon widely known as
Global Warming.
Forests cover 31 percent of the earth’s surface -
just over 4 billion hectares. This is a huge reduction from the pre-industrial coverage
of 5.9 billion hectares. This loss of forest cover has also contributed towards
global warming, because forests absorb pollutants and greenhouse gases. Trees
also help percolation of rainwater to maintain groundwater table.
However, due to our uncontrolled use of fossil
fuels for energy and massive deforestation, we have started polluting the Earth
at a faster rate than at any other time in history. Every single day of every
single year, energy equivalent to that released by 400,000 Hiroshima type bombs
spreads in the Earth’s atmosphere. 90 % of this energy is absorbed by the ocean.
This is increasing ocean temperatures, directly impacting marine life like fish,
coral reefs, etc. Also, warmer oceans are thought be the reason behind the
increased severity of typhoons and
cyclones. Warm waters are also affecting monsoon rains. Monsoons in India are increasingly
delayed. There has also been an increase in heavy rainfall, flooding and longer
monsoon seasons.
Let us analyse how the above mentioned factors
are affecting our health:
Air Pollution
1. Construction - source of PM 2.5 and PM 10. particles in the
air along with dust
2. Transportation - source of CO2, CO, Methane, NO2, SO2 and
other emission by-products in the air
3. Untreated Waste - source of methane, which has 25 times more impact
on Climate Change than CO2.
4. Dry Waste Burning - source of CO, CO2 & other
harmful gases due to burning of plastics & thermocol.
5. Industry - source of dust, smoke, PM10, CO, CO2 etc
6. Water bodies - stagnated & polluted water bodies
are a source of methane gas
7. Thermal Power Plants - source of Ash, hot air &
other harmful gases
8. Warm, stagnant air tends to increase the formation of ozone,
climate change is likely to increase levels of ground-level ozone in
already-polluted areas like Delhi. Warmer temperatures
during winter is conducive for formation of ground level Ozone.
Effect on Human Health
Polluted air has long
term & short term effects on human health. As air pollution rises,
respiratory diseases start rising due to the presence of harmful gases as well
as particulate matter. Particulate
matter is the term for a category of extremely small particles and liquid
droplets suspended in the atmosphere.
1.
A new UNICEF report states that high levels of air pollution is a
potential cause of neuro-inflammation, damaging cognitive development in young
children.
2.
Ground-level ozone can damage
lung tissue, reduce lung function, and inflame airways, thereby aggravating
asthma or other lung diseases. Children, older adults, outdoor workers, and
those with asthma and other chronic lung diseases are particularly at risk
3.
Inhaling fine
particles can lead to a broad range of adverse health effects, including lung
cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular
disease
4.
Particulate
matter from wildfire smoke can often be carried very long distances by the
wind, affecting people who live far from the source of this air pollutant. Fires
from Punjab & Haryana fields is adversely affecting the health of Delhi
5.
Older adults
are particularly sensitive to short-term particle exposure, with a higher risk
of hospitalization and death.
Water Pollution
Most of the domestic sewage, industrial
effluents & agriculture run-off is released directly, untreated, into our water
bodies. Almost all Indian rivers are now sewage lines due these contaminants.
Remember, water is essential not only for survival of all beings, but also for
agriculture. Water exists in a finite quantity on our planet. 97 % of all
available water is in the oceans. Only 1% of all water on Earth is usable by us.
Part of this water is surface water, which is increasingly getting polluted and
the rest is underground.
The present status of groundwater in India is quite
alarming. Due to unsustainable extraction of ground water, it is depleting
rapidly. Groundwater is also getting contaminated due to water soluble salts in
the soil and due to seepage of contaminated water from garbage dumps,
industrial waste etc. The WHO reports
that 80% of all diseases are water-borne. Of the 9 million people
who died due to pollution-related diseases in 2015 globally, 2.5 million were
recorded in India - the highest in any country.
According to an international study published in The
Lancet, pollution caused three times more deaths than AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis put together in 2015. India not only recorded the maximum deaths
in the year, but also the most due to air pollution: 1.8 million…and half a
million died due to water pollution.
Disease causing organisms
are called pathogens. Some pathogens occur naturally, and
others pollute water when human or animal waste washes into the water. Some of
the most common illnesses caused by pathogens in water include
·
Typhoid
·
Cholera
·
Dysentery
·
Polio
·
Hepatitis
Climate Change Mitigation and adaptation
Changes
in greenhouse gas concentrations and other drivers alter global climate and
have serious health implications. Environmental consequences of climate change,
such as extreme heat waves, rising sea-levels, changes in precipitation resulting
in flooding and droughts, intense hurricanes, and degraded air quality, affect
the physical, social, and psychological health of humans.
For instance, changes in precipitation are
creating changes in the availability and quantity of water, as well as
resulting in extreme weather events. Climate change can be a driver of
disease migration, as well as worsening health due to the release of toxic air
pollutants in vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
Certain adverse health effects can be minimized or avoided
with sound mitigation and adaptation strategies. Strategies for mitigating and
adapting to climate change can prevent illness and death in people, while also
protecting the environment and health of future generations. Mitigation
refers to actions being taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance
the sinks that trap or remove carbon from the atmosphere. Adaptation refers to
actions being taken to lessen the impact on health and the environment due to
changes that cannot be prevented through mitigation.
Health Services In India
Status of health
services , especially in the rural India is, at best, pathetic. Starting from
Sub Centres to Primary Health centres most of the places have no medical
officers , authorised medical equipment or medical emergency supplies. In urban
areas, Govt hospitals do provide service, but due to ever rising population of
cities, these hospitals are unable to provide adequate health care to needy
population. The health care is not equipped to meet challenges raised by
climate change.
Climate change is now a reality. Health sector
has to prepare itself to faces adverse effect on human health due to extreme
climatic changes. Environmental consequences of climate change, such as extreme
heat waves, rising sea-levels, changes in precipitation resulting in flooding
and droughts, intense hurricanes, and degraded air quality, affect directly and
indirectly the physical, social, and psychological health of humans. Medical
education must include Global Warming and its effect on human health. The
climate change will have more severe effect on children and elderly citizens.
It is important to note that population of 60+ citizens are rising at faster
rate due to better health care. However challenges posed by Air, Water, and
Sound and Soil pollution need different approach. For this medical fraternity
and Govt needs to work continuously since in coming years, extreme climatic
events are going to increase in frequency and severity.
