Nearly 1.7 Lakh Children Under 5 Died In India In 2021 Due To Air Pollution: State Of Air Report

State Of Global Air 2024 Report: Despite a global decline in air pollution-related deaths in children under the age of 5, South Asia and Africa continue to experience high rates.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the severe impacts of air pollution.

SoGA 2024: Air pollution remains a critical public health crisis in India, with the country recording a high number of deaths in children under five years old due to air pollution in 2021. The recently released State of Global Air (SoGA) 2024 report, which includes data from 2021, highlights the devastating impact of polluted air on the youngest and most vulnerable populations, revealing that air pollution contributed to 169,400 deaths among children under five in India, among the highest numbers globally.

Globally, the death rate among children under five linked to air pollution has come down since 2000 — by 53% — with the report attributing the decrease to initiatives taken to improve access to cleaner sources of energy and reduction in the use of solid fuels in households. However, in South Asia and East, West, Central, and Southern Africa, such deaths have remained high.

While India saw 1,69,400 deaths of children under five in 2021, Nigeria recorded 1,14,100 deaths, Pakistan 68,100 deaths, Ethiopia 31,100 deaths, and Bangladesh 19,100 deaths. The highest number of deaths were seen in these countries.

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Why Are Children Vulnerable To Effects Of Air Pollution?

Children’s susceptibility to air pollution begins even before birth. Pollutants can cross the placenta, exposing foetuses to harmful substances that can affect their development. Once born, children are particularly vulnerable for several reasons, as spelt out in the SoGA 2024 report:

• Children breathe at a faster rate than adults and often do so through their mouths, which means they inhale more air and, consequently, more pollutants per kilogram of body weight.
• Children often spend more time outdoors and breathe air closer to the ground, where pollutants like vehicle exhaust and dust are more concentrated.
• Children’s bodies, including their lungs, brains, and immune systems, are still developing. This makes them less equipped to defend against the harmful effects of pollutants. Inflammation caused by pollutants can block their smaller airways more easily than in adults.
• Many children, especially in low-income families, are exposed to indoor air pollution due to the use of solid fuels like wood and coal for cooking and heating. This is a common practice in many parts of India, where traditional cooking methods still dominate.

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Impact Of Air Pollution On Children's Death 

Air pollution is a significant risk factor for pneumonia and other lower respiratory infections (LRIs), which are the leading causes of death in children under five. Polluted air weakens the immune system and inflames the lungs, making children more susceptible to infections.

Exposure to polluted air during early childhood has significant and far-reaching health implications. It can lead to immediate and long-term health issues such as pneumonia, other respiratory infections, and allergic diseases. LRIs are particularly critical, being the leading cause of death among children under five.

Air pollution exacerbates these infections by causing lung inflammation and weakening the body’s defenses against pathogens. Household air pollution, often resulting from the use of solid fuels for cooking, is a major contributor to these health issues.

Children exposed to air pollution during early childhood are at a heightened risk for developing chronic health conditions later in life, including impaired lung growth and a higher susceptibility to diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

According to the SoGA report, the impact of air pollution on child mortality is most severe in Africa and Asia. In these regions, over 40% of LRI-related deaths in young children are attributed to air pollution and a combination of poor air quality and insufficient access to healthcare.