Meeting national targets of cutting PM2.5 pollution by 30 per cent can help bring down prevalence of diseases such as hypertension, COPD and anaemia from the current nearly five per cent to three per cent among women of reproductive age.
Researchers and experts from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and Climate Trends, a research-based consulting and capacity building initiative in Delhi, have developed a ‘Health Benefit Assessment Dashboard’ based on data gathered via the fifth round of National Family Health Survey.
Launched in 2019, the National Clean Air Programme is aimed at improving air quality by reducing particulate matter (PM) levels by 20-30 per cent by 2024-25, keeping 2017 as baseline. The team modelled future scenario based on a 30 per cent reduced PM2.5 levels, “with the aim of helping policymakers and researchers with real-world health impact data as the severe air pollution months approach”.
“Achieving the 2024 NCAP target of reducing 30 per cent PM2.5 levels, can help decrease the nationwide disease prevalence to 3.09 per cent from the national average of 4.87 per cent, according to the NFHS-5 data,” the research team said. Health benefits of clean air were analysed to be highest in densely populated. Diabetes of 1.7 per cent among women of reproductive age — 15 to 49 years — could drop to 1.4 per cent if the PM2.5 reduction targets are met. Further, decline in prevalence of lower respiratory infections, low birth weight and anaemia were found to be most pronounced among children in regions having severe air pollution, particularly the Indo-Gangetic Plain and eastern states.