Over 11 million children under five in Punjab face health risks from toxic smog: UNICEF

Over 11 million children under five years of age are in peril due to intense smog that is severely impacting the environmet of Pakistan’s Punjab, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). 

Abdullah Fadil, a Unicef representative in Pakistan, called for urgent efforts to deal with air pollution and protect children’s health. 

The statement issued by the organisation expressed concerns over a record-breaking level of air pollution in Lahore and Multan last week, causing dozens of people, including children, to be hospitalised.

The air quality index for the seven cities of Punjab was recorded above 400 AQI. 

“I am extremely concerned about the well-being of young children, who are forced to breathe polluted, toxic air. Over 11 million children under five years of age are exposed to this smog in the worst-affected districts,” said Mr Fadil. 

“Prior to these record-breaking levels of air pollution, about 12 percent of deaths in children under five in Pakistan were due to air pollution,” he added.

According to him, issues related to premature birth and low weight of newborns were increasing due to dense pollution. 

However, the Unicef representative believed that the learning of almost 16 million children was also disrupted after the closure of schools in Punjab last week.