Treat Air Pollution As Public Health Emergency – Varsity Don

A respiratory medicine expert at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Prof Etete James Peters, has identified air pollution as major agent exacerbating respiratory-induced deaths in Nigeria.

He, therefore, warned that toxic air is silently shortening the lives of millions and must be treated as a public health emergency.

Delivering the 128th Inaugural Lecture of the university on Thursday, he said though air sustains life, polluted air is steadily undermining it, with devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.

“Air sustains life, yet polluted air is steadily shortening it. The paradox must end with deliberate action,” Prof Peters stated, urging government at all levels, institutions and citizens to confront air pollution with urgency and coordinated policies.

Presenting statistical insights from his research and global health data, Prof Peters disclosed that air pollution accounts for an estimated seven million premature deaths annually worldwide, with low and middle-income countries, including Nigeria, bearing a disproportionate share of the burden.

He noted that in Nigeria, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from vehicle emissions, generator fumes, industrial discharge, open waste burning and household cooking with solid fuels significantly increases the risk of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, stroke and heart disease.

According to figures cited during the lecture, children under five and the elderly are the most vulnerable, with respiratory infections linked to polluted air contributing substantially to hospital admissions across urban centres.

He added that urban residents are exposed to particulate concentrations that often exceed the World Health Organisation’s recommended limits.

The don further revealed that prolonged exposure to polluted air can reduce life expectancy by several years, stressing that the economic cost of lost productivity, healthcare expenditure and premature mortality runs into billions of Naira annually.

He warned that the rising number of vehicles, widespread reliance on petrol and diesel generators due to erratic power supply, and unregulated industrial emissions are worsening air quality in many Nigerian cities.

Prof. Etete Peters advocated stricter enforcement of environmental regulations, transition to cleaner energy sources, improved urban planning, regular air quality monitoring and public awareness campaigns as key measures to reverse the trend.

He also called on universities and research institutions to intensify local studies to generate reliable data for evidence-based policy formulation, adding that without measurable indicators and sustained surveillance, interventions would remain ineffective.

The inaugural lecturer emphasised that safeguarding air quality is not solely an environmental issue but a health imperative, insisting that failure to act decisively would further strain Nigeria’s already burdened healthcare system.

“Our lungs are the frontline defenders. When the air is toxic, the damage is cumulative and often irreversible,” he said.