One in three child deaths in Europe caused by environment, says WHO

A study by the WHO identified injuries including road traffic accidents, lead intoxication, air pollution and poor water quality supply as the biggest child killers in Europe.

Ministers from 52 European countries meeting this week in
Budapest for a conference on environment and health will discuss a
WHO study assessing the impact of the environment on children’s
health. Ministers from 52 European countries meeting this week in
Budapest for a conference on environment and health will discuss a
WHO study assessing the impact of the environment on children’s
health.

The study identifies the five biggest child killers on the
European continent including Russia and central Asia. The results
show great disparities between three regional sub-groups, which can
be roughly compared to western, central and eastern Europe (regions
A, B and C respectively).

• Injuries remain the leading cause of death among
  children and adolescents from birth to 19 years across Europe, the
  report says. In 2001, 13,450 died from injuries in western Europe
  alone, with road traffic accidents the single largest cause of
  death. Other major fatal injuries include fire, drowning and
  poisoning.
• Lead is the single most important reason for
  illnesses in all three sub-regional groups. In western Europe,
  14,092 children aged between 0-4 years were believed to suffer from
  mental disorders attributable to blood lead in 2001. And the
  numbers rise to 156,619 when the other two regions are added. Known
  effects include learning disabilities, attention and visuospatial
  disorders and anaemia.
• Air pollution, both indoors and outdoors, are
  another major source of concern. Up to 13,000 deaths per year among
  children aged 0-4 years are attributed to pollution from
  particulate matters across Europe, 10,000 of which have occurred in
  the B region comprising Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and
  Turkey. As for indoor air pollution, household solid fuels are said
  to account for some 10.000 deaths per year among children aged 0-4
  years, almost all of which (90%) have occurred in zone B. The
  report says that an estimated 9,000 lives or more could be saved
  each year if households could climb up the so-called “energy
  ladder”, shifting from solid fuels to cleaner liquid or gas
  fuels.
• Poor
  water, sanitation and hygiene are an important
  cause of child mortality, particularly in the former USSR. In
  region B, 11,876 were listed to have died in 2001. Figures are much
  lower for western Europe where 63 children died from poor quality
  water supply on the same year. Overall, the WHO estimates at 2
  million the number of children in Europe who do not have access to
  clean water and who are exposed to high risks of diarrhoeal
  diseases.

The marked differences across the region and across age groups
indicate the need for targeted action, for example in specific
countries, regions, or populations, the WHO indicated.

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