Preventable environmental hazards from dirty water to use of toxic substances in the home cause 13 million deaths worldwide each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
The United Nations agency said in a study avoidable environmental exposures cause up to 24 percent of global disease and trigger one in three outbreaks in children under age five.
Yet major childhood killers such as malaria and diarrhea could be averted with improved clean water access, better sanitary standards and less use of polluting fuels, according to the WHO’s study, “Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments”.
Lower respiratory infections could also be curbed by reducing air pollution, it said.
Children in developing countries are most vulnerable, losing about 8 times more healthy life years than their peers in richer countries because of health problems caused by the environment.
The report estimated that better environmental management could save 4 million lives each year, including 2 million children under the age of 5 who would otherwise die from diarrhea and respiratory ailments.