Thousands of European child deaths linked to poor environment

Indoor air pollution, unsafe water, lead and injuries account for the deaths of third of children across Europe, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In a report, to be published in the Lancet tomorrow, experts assessed for the first time the overall impact of the environment on child health in the WHO European Region.

There are 100,000 child deaths in Europe every year, representing 6 million years of healthy life lost.

Injury is the leading cause of death among children and adolescents from birth to 19 years across the WHO European Region, with the highest proportion of deaths among teenagers (15-19 years). Up to 13,000 children aged 0-4 years die from particulate matter outdoor air pollution and 10,000 as a result of solid fuel use at home.

In children aged 0-14 years, 13,000 deaths are due to poor water and sanitation.

The Environmental Burden of Disease study, supported by WHO and carried out by the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Udine and the Burlo Garofalo Institute for Child Health in Trieste, provides the base for an action plan to be tabled for adoption by Europe's ministers of health and environment gathering in Budapest on 23-25 June 2004.

"Although the report carries some ominous warnings, it also opens the door to a healthier future for Europe's children," Dr Marc Danzon, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said.

"In order to know which interventions and strategies to use, governments must first be able to assess and compare the magnitude of risks accurately. This unique report presents data in a comparative and internally consistent way, thus providing a framework for policy-makers to prioritise actions and protect our children's health from environmental hazards."

The children's environment and health action plan for Europe (CEHAPE) defines priority actions to reduce exposure, prevent injuries and achieve substantial public health gains. For example, phasing out lead from petrol has proven effective at reducing brain disorders associated with elevated blood lead levels. Similarly, multisectoral approaches including engineering, educational and law enforcement interventions have been shown to reduce injury incidence and consequences.

(gmcg)