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Due to pollution in the air nearly 4 million people died

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
 
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21 May 2014, 16:45

In Geneva, the World Health Organization announced the results of one study, which showed that almost half of the urban population suffers from pollution present in the air. As experts note, urban air pollution exceeds the norm by at least two times.

Earlier, the World Health Organization made a report, which stated that every year more than three million people die as a result of alcohol dependence. However, this time, the organization was interested in another issue, namely the impact of polluted air on the health and life expectancy of citizens.

As it turned out, the bigger the city, the greater the danger it poses to the health of the inhabitants. Pollution that enters the air increases the risk of many serious diseases, for example, respiratory diseases in chronic form (asthma), cardiovascular disease (stroke), cancer.

Cars are the main sources of air pollution. Also, the air pollution is strongly influenced by the large accumulation of residential buildings in a small area, the development of industry, the increased use of energy. According to the World Health Organization last year, polluted air caused the death of more than four million people. As recent studies show, the greatest air pollution in countries such as India, Bahrain, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan. In these republics the average annual concentration of particles reaches 540 mg per 1 m 3, while according to the recommendations of the health care organization, the concentration should not exceed 20 mg per 1 m 3.

The first place for air pollution is the Pakistani city of Peshawar, where more than three million people live. The second is the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, in which 1m 3 accounts for more than 400 mg of contamination. The third place was taken by the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where the pollution reaches just over 300 mg per 1 m 3.

In Ukraine, the most polluted cities are located in the central and eastern part of the country. In the cities of the Donetsk region, the greatest air pollution is observed, which is associated with a large number of industrial enterprises located on this territory.

The cleanest cities in terms of air pollution are Australia, Canada, USA.

In addition, the World Health Organization made a report stating that 14 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. However, the made forecasts for the future do not give us hope for improvement. According to forecasts, over the next 20 years the incidence of oncological processes will increase to 22 million people a year. In this regard, it is required to introduce effective strategies for cancer prevention as soon as possible.

According to experts, in modern conditions, oncology takes the leading position in the world in terms of mortality. The most severe forms of cancer, according to doctors, are cancer of the stomach, breast, lungs, thick and rectum.

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