Participants at the 2024 Pollution Control Conference (POLCON) have called for more sensitization, advocacy, regulation and enforcement to reduce pollution in the country.
The conference in its third edition was with the theme: “Pathways for achieving Cleaner air and a sustainable Future was held virtually, recently.
The convener, Wunmi Ogunde, said POLCON is an annual gathering that seeks to provide the opportunity to explore issues of mutual concern, exchange knowledge, ideas and generate solutions that can tackle pollution.
“The vision for POLCON is to draw attention to areas that are often left out in discussion, and I am glad we are gradually setting the pace in achieving this.”
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She added that the conference was aimed at drawing attention to one of the most critical but often overlooked challenges of our time—Air Pollution.
“Interesting this ties to the conversations at the Climate Week in New York, recently”, she said.
According to her, air pollution is a major health risk and it affects every one, whether we realize it or not.
“Often, we assume it only affects us outdoors, where car emissions, industrial activities, and waste burning visibly fill the air.
“However, studies have shown that indoor air pollution can be up to five times more harmful than what we experience outside. The very spaces we think of as safe, our homes, schools, and workplaces could be causing harm to our health every day.
“According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is responsible for around 7-8 million premature deaths annually. That’s millions of lives cut short due to something as basic as the air we breathe. It’s not just a statistic; it’s a harsh reminder that we need to act and we need to act now.
“And that’s why our theme for this year at POLCON 2024 is the “Pathways for Achieving Cleaner Air and a Sustainable Future,” is to challenge all of us to find actionable and equitable solutions to improve public health and take us a step towards speeding up climate action.
The keynote speaker, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Babatunde Ajayi took participants through the hazards air pollution could cause on their health, adding that Lagos State through LASEPA is all out to reduce air pollution in the environment.
Dr. Ajayi represented by the Assistant Director, Air Quality and Emissions Control Unit, Mrs. Ayodele Osho, explained further that air pollution has a negative impact on health hence the need to reduce if not eradicate totally, adding that children are more vulnerable in this aspect with the impact five times faster than adults.
“Air pollution leads to various cancer diseases, disturbs mental health and that is the reason our Agency is out with real-time measurement on air quality in terms of air pollution because what we cannot measure, we cannot control,” she stated.
This, she said, was aimed at having a cleaner air, cleaner energy and renewable and sustainable energy.
The panel of discussants which include Dr. Femi Idowu Adegoke, President Recyclers Association and also the Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Environment; Dr. Tomi Kogo, MD, Iwasan Wellness, Jonathan Ikeolumba, Managing partners and sustainability consultant and Dr. Natalie Beinisch, ED Circular Economy Innovative Partnerships pointed out the danger in vehicular emission which they said leads to death most times.
They affirmed that air pollution affects everyone but has more effect in the most density area.
According to the experts, air pollution is escalating health issues in Nigeria and children in Nigeria are at risk of this danger, therefore the need for all to be involved in its eradication or reduction.
They listed the health danger of air pollution to include lungs and heart diseases, brain damage, breast cancer, colon cancer, among others,
Pointing at the correlation between air pollution and climate change, the experts called for stricter regulations enforcements to curb the menace to meet the global agenda to reduce air pollution by 2030.
In her presentation, Health Impacts of Air Pollution on Vulnerable Populations, Dr. Agnes Agyepong, Founder Global Black Maternal Health, said that the way forward and what needs to change in the wider system and what everyone should be fighting for should include healthy workforce, improved educational outcomes, reduced healthcare costs and improved quality of life.
Stating that improving air quality in Africa can play a vital role in reducing maternal mortality and achieving SDG target, Agyepong called for improved air quality on children health in Africa to avoid diseases like respiratory infections, impaired lung development, increased child mortality and cognitive and developmental delays.
Also for impact of poor air quality on maternal health, the speaker listed the diseases to include hypertension, infections, preterm birth and complications, delayed health-seeking behaviour, low birth weight and chronic conditions, among others.
BV.
