Meeting national targets to reduce PM2.5 pollution by 30 percent could significantly lower the prevalence of diseases such as hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and anaemia among women of reproductive age in India, experts say.
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and Climate Trends, a research-focused consulting and capacity-building organization, have developed a “Health Benefit Assessment Dashboard” based on data gathered through the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5).
Initiated in 2019, the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aims to improve air quality by reducing particulate matter levels by 20-30 percent by 2024-25, using 2017 as the baseline year. The research team modeled a future scenario where PM2.5 levels are reduced by 30 percent, intending to provide policymakers and researchers with real-world health impact data as the severe air pollution months approach.
The team found that achieving the 2024 NCAP target of cutting PM2.5 levels by 30 percent could reduce disease prevalence nationwide from the current average of 4.87 percent to approximately 3.09 percent, according to NFHS-5 data. The greatest health benefits are expected in densely populated northern and eastern states with high pollution burdens.
Specifically, the current prevalence of diabetes among women aged 15 to 49, which stands at 1.7 percent, could decline to 1.4 percent if the PM2.5 reduction targets are met. The analysis also indicates notable decreases in the rates of lower respiratory infections, low birth weight, and anaemia among children, especially in regions with severe air pollution such as the Indo-Gangetic Plain and eastern states.
At a workshop sharing these findings, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, emphasized the critical role of indoor air pollution. She said, “The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has gone a long way and has been an amazing change in terms of the ownership of LPG connections. But the fact remains that many families are still using biomass for cooking and sometimes for heating in the winter months. This significantly contributes to outdoor air pollution, apart from being a direct risk to women and children.”
Dr. Swaminathan added, “So, there is a very specific gender equity issue with indoor air pollution, in addition to the fact that it contributes anywhere between 30 to 60 percent of ambient air pollution.”
Aarti Khosla, Director of Climate Trends, stressed the need to frame air quality mitigation as a public health issue rather than solely a scientific or climate concern. She stated, “The central concern for air quality mitigation should be public health. Over the last 10 years, as air quality became more of a scientific issue and increasingly linked with aspects like climate change, it has somewhat moved away from its social dimension as a public health concern primarily. I think bringing it back to where it belongs is critical. That is why all the studies on epidemiological evidence and research conducted in India are so important for establishing clear links between air quality and public health.”
This research highlights the urgent need for integrated policies addressing both outdoor and indoor air pollution to reduce the disease burden on millions of women and children across the country.
