WHO launches country-by-country estimates of death and disease due to indoor air pollution

The WHO has launched the first-ever country-by-country estimates of the burden of disease due to indoor air pollution. The statistics highlight the heavy toll solid fuel use takes on the health and well-being of people around the world.

In the 21 worst-affected countries - Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Uganda - approximately 5% of death and disease is caused by indoor air pollution.

In 11 countries - Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United Republic of Tanzania - indoor air pollution is to blame for a total of 1.2 million deaths a year.

Globally, reliance on solid fuels is one of the 10 most important threats to public health.

These burden of disease estimates will assist national decision-makers in the health, environment, energy and finance sectors to set priorities for preventive action. At the 15th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-15), currently taking place in New York, ministers in the sectors of energy, environment and development will decide whether to adopt recommendations to integrate the reduction of indoor air pollution into national policies, such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, and provide financial resources to prevent adverse health impacts due to indoor air pollution.

See both the key statistics and further information here