Health Benefit Assessment Dashboard Launched: Linking Air Quality and Public Health
A central feature of the tool is its projection of health benefits if NCAP’s clean air targets—a 30% reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 levels—are achieved
PIC COURTESTY: aiq.works
In a pioneering step connecting air quality and health outcomes, Climate Trends and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi have launched the Health Benefit Assessment Dashboard, which demonstrates the relationship between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and critical diseases among women and children in India.
Drawing on NFHS-5 data across 641 districts, the dashboard highlights strong associations between air pollution and conditions like hypertension, heart disease, COPD, anemia, and diabetes in women, as well as anemia, low birth weight (LBW), and lower respiratory infections (LRI) in children.
A central feature of the tool is its projection of health benefits if NCAP’s clean air targets—a 30% reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 levels—are achieved.
Key Findings for Women:
- Average PM2.5 levels during NFHS-5 (2019–21) were 59.6 μg/m³, projected to fall to 41.72 μg/m³ with NCAP compliance.
- Diabetes prevalence (1.7%) could decline to 1.4%, with the largest gains in Delhi, UP, Bihar, Assam, and Haryana.
- Hypertension could fall by 2–8%, especially in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Bihar.
- COPD prevalence may drop 3–12%, with Delhi, UP, Bihar, and Punjab showing the strongest gains.
- Heart disease prevalence could decline 3–10%, particularly in Bihar, Assam, and J&K.
- Anemia, still a major challenge, could reduce 3–8%, with the biggest benefits in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Key Findings for Children:
- Lower respiratory infections (LRI): Bihar (9.89% → 9.37%) and Delhi (10.45% → 9.73%) would see significant reductions.
- Low birth weight (LBW): Punjab (23.04% → 22.19%), UP (21.02% → 19.79%), and West Bengal (20.05% → 19.23%) show meaningful declines.
- Child anemia: Bihar (40.23% → 36.61%), Jharkhand (41.68% → 38.99%), and Assam (39.44% → 36.70%) record the steepest improvements.
Broader Significance:
- Northern and eastern India—the Indo-Gangetic Plain in particular—stand to gain the most, due to high baseline pollution and population density.
- Even southern states and urbanized territories like Chandigarh, Goa, and Puducherry record measurable improvements.
- The findings underscore air pollution as a “silent emergency”—with cleaner air offering direct and measurable public health gains.
Experts emphasised that while science strongly links pollution and health risks, better communication is needed to bridge the gap between scientific evidence, policymakers, and the public.
