World Brain Day: Pollution poses threat to 2m Pakistani children's brain health
Environmental pollution is a potentially modifiable risk factor for some neurological diseases.
(WebDesk) - World Brain Day is being celebrated today across the world. The topic of this years’ World Brain Day on JULY 22 is CLEAN AIR FOR HEALTHY BRAIN to raise awareness on the influence of air pollution on neurological diseases.
Neurological experts believe environmental pollution is the major cause of most of the neurological and brain disorders. More than 20m to 20.5m Pakistanis are suffering from different neural and brain ailments and disorders.
The heaps of garbage, the polluted dun of vehicles and industries and other forms of pollution are the main contributors in increasing health disasters of sinus and neurological illness. 30pc of Paralysis complexities are also occurred due to air pollution.
Neurological experts believe environmental pollution is the major cause of most of the neurological and brain disorders. More than 20m to 20.5m Pakistanis are suffering from different neural and brain ailments and disorders.
The experts also hold air pollution responsible for the deteriorating mental health conditions of growing children. The urban cities are more prone to get affected with the mental and neurological disorders. The experts warn that the hazards of atmospheric pollution can pose a grave threat to the 20 million children of metropolis.
In recent times, the effects of air pollution on our health have attracted increasing interest with international institutions providing growing mortality and morbidity data. The latest estimation of deaths attributable to air pollution worldwide is 12 million deaths annually. These deaths are related to cardiac diseases such as myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure, neurological events such as stroke, lung diseases and cancer.
Stroke notwithstanding, the suspected impact of air pollution on the brain is an emerging and worrisome issue.
Karachi, Rawalpindi and Peshawar are among the top most polluted cities in the world according to July 2015 findings of World Economic Forum.
Recent publications have shown evidence for air pollution as a stroke risk. The recent Global Burden of Disease study, for example, has investigated data from 1990 to 2013 in 188 countries. It demonstrated that air pollution contributes to UP TO 30% of the burden of stroke.
Karachi is one among the most polluted metropolitan of the country. Karachi, Rawalpindi and Peshawar are among the top most polluted cities in the world according to July 2015 findings of World Economic Forum.
Also Read: In Pictures: Garbage, Garbage and Garbage, Stinking Karachi!
Karachi ranks number five just ahead of Peshawar and Rawalpindi which stand at six and seven in the list of 20 most polluted cities. Photo: File
According to World Health Organisation, about 29,000 deaths occur yearly in Pakistan due to environment problems while damages to economy amount to Rs4.5 billion.
Also Watch: Air pollution third leading cause of death in Pakistan
Air pollution and environmental pollution is a potentially modifiable risk factor for some cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The dogma has changed: prevention is definitely not only an individual concern but must be considered at the societal level. This enlarging worldwide public health problem requires environmental health policies able to reduce air pollution to protect brain health and not only lungs.
Environmental pollution poses grave threat at the brain health of the growing children. Photo: File
