Martyna Hogendorf: The simple act of breathing kills 7 million people a year and harms billions more. Why are we not taking action?

Martyna Hogendorf, Technical Officer at the WHO Department for Noncommunicable Diseases, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“The simple act of breathing kills 7 million people a year and harms billions more. 85% of these deaths are attributable to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. And yet, most of the world’s population breathe air with pollution levels that are unsafe according to the WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines. In short – toxic air is fueling NCDs. Why are we not taking action?

Unpacking this political, and deeply personal challenge, is not easy. Tangled with misperceptions and government inaction, progress in the fight for clean air has been slow. The close link to NCDs provides an opportunity for advocacy and action through health sector leadership and multisectoral collaboration. But we need to step up.

Join us on March 20th, 13:00-14:30 CET, for a dialogue with experts and leaders on how to strengthen the health argument for action, define pragmatic solutions and influence governments to commit to real change, for a healthier, breathable, future.

For more information and to register, visit. the session will be moderated by the WHO Director of the Environment, Climate change and Health department, Maria Neira in conversation with: Francesco Forastiere, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, Sumi Mehta, Achiri Elvis Ndikum, Dina Umali-Deininger, Jane Burston, Bente Mikkelsen and Daniel Buss.”

Source: Martyna Hogendorf/LinkedIn