The Adverse Effects of Climate Change on Health in Africa and Asia
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 150,000 annual deaths in low-income countries are brought about by the adverse effects of climate change. Temperatures and sea levels are rising. Extreme weather conditions including floods cause water logging, which in turn increases the chances of contamination and the spreading of diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and dengue. In Africa, air pollution causes around 712,000 annual deaths; a figure that vastly outruns deaths caused by malnutrition (391,000) and unsafe water (275,000).
It is also estimated that temperatures across Asia will increase by an incredible 6 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, if we don’t begin to better address the effects of climate change, posing serious concerns that relate to agriculture, land and marine biodiversity, trade and health. So very often we focus on key indicators, such as BMI, to track the state of our health, but it’s time to open our eyes and realize that overall health concerns are greatly affected by the world around us and it’s time for serious positive action.
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