Exhaust rises from a factory on Truong Chinh street in Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – A symposium in Hanoi on August 20 discussed air pollution in
Vietnam and its considerable impact on .
The event was held by the Vietnam Non-Communicable
Diseases (NCDs) Prevention Alliance and the institute for preventive medicine
and public health training of the Hanoi Medical University.
Reports at the workshop noted that among many
forms of electricity production, coal-fired power plants are the main source of
smoke and coal ash containing toxic substances, especially particles smaller
than 10 micrometres (PM10) and 2.5 micrometres (PM 2.5) and toxic gases like
CO, SO2, O3, NO and sulphur.
PM2.5 and smaller particles of dust are the main
risk factor for respiratory, mucous membrane and digestive diseases, including
bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and
myocardial infarction.
Do Manh Cuong, an official of the Health
Environment Management Agency of the Ministry of Health, said air pollution is
greatly affecting Vietnamese people’s health. It may cause poisoning,
lower respiratory tract infections, lung cancer, cardiovascular
diseases and COPD while raising the risk of premature birth.
World Health Organisation data in 2015 showed
that among the 10 diseases with the highest fatality rate in Vietnam, six were
linked with air pollution, namely strokes, myocardial infarction, COPD, lung –
tracheal cancers, lower respiratory tract infections and
tuberculosis.
Meanwhile, respiratory diseases were contracted
with higher incidence than pregnancy, delivery and postpartum-related diseases;
circulatory system diseases; digestive system diseases; and bacterial infection
and parasitic contamination, according to the 2014 Health Statistics Yearbook.
Those most vulnerable to air pollution are the
elderly, pregnant women, children, persons with lung and cardiovascular
diseases, workers at craft villages and production facilities and outdoors
workers.
Cuong noted that the incidence of respiratory
diseases in cities with air pollution is much higher than other cities.
At the symposium, participants looked into the
impact of environmental pollution, especially coal-fired power plants, on
public health, the rising burden of NCDs in Vietnam, benefits from renewable
energy and solutions to replace coal fired power generation and ways to ease of
the burden of NCDs caused by air pollution.
They said the health sector need to conduct
studies to assess air pollution’s impact on public health, review regulations
on air pollution and make policies protecting public health against air
pollution.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
