In a first-of-its-kind webinar, doctors across regions and specialities in India came together to build a strong health sector response to ensure clean air as India begins to reopen. Titled Air Pollution and COVID-19: Strategies for Health Experts to Engage on Air Pollution post Relaxation of COVID-19 Lockdown in India, this webinar hosted by Health Care Without Harm’s partners in India received over 230 registrations, with 1,800+ views through the live stream on Facebook (available here) and 200 individuals joining live through Zoom.
Dr. Poornima Prabhakaran, additional professor and deputy director at the Centre for Environmental Health at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), set the stage with an introduction to India’s struggle with air pollution. Speaking to the unprecedented times we are currently in, and addressing how India had become the air pollution capital of the world, Dr. Poornima was quoted saying that “we have the dubious distinction of housing 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities in our country.” Dr. Poornima further spoke about how most people think that air pollution only has impacts on the respiratory system, but increasingly we know now that it is linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, neuro cognitive development, and mental health issues. COVID-19 has just added another layer to all of this.
Following this the webinar discussion centered around how air pollution increases vulnerability to the coronavirus; the disruption of environmental regulations and its effect on the health of communities; and what governments, public health professionals, and healthcare workers can do to educate communities around the negative effects of climate change on one’s health, especially as we think about what “recovery” post lockdown will look like.
View full article in the Healthy Energy Initiative website