KATHMANDU, May 1: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has urged people to wear masks in view of the increasing air pollution in Kathmandu.

The ministry urged people to wear masks to protect themselves from the air pollution stating that the air quality in the federal capital was at the top of the list of cities with ‘unhealthy air’ throughout the world.

Dr Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson for the MoHP, urged people to not come out of home unnecessarily, not to travel and to stay away from highly polluted areas, as the air pollutants in Kathmandu were high.

According to the ‘World Air Quality Index-Ranking’, which measures the level of air pollution around the world, Kathmandu’s air is at the top of the world’s unhealthy air list.

“Air pollution affects the heart and blood vessels, lungs, brain, eyes, nose, ears, throat, etc and also increases the risk of asthma, cancer, among other health issues,” the ministry’s spokesperson Budhathoki said in a press release.

Air pollution has reduced the average life expectancy of Nepalis by 4.1 percent. Mostly children under five years of age, pregnant women, chronically ill people and the elderly account for a high number of annual deaths due to air pollution in Nepal.

Spokesperson Budhathoki said that various facts and researches show that air pollution is the main cause of illness and death in Nepal.

As there is a high possibility of heat waves in the Terai during summer and heatstroke, the ministry has requested people not to go outside unnecessarily during the day time and to drink more water and take liquid food.

According to the ministry, the number of patients in hospitals and health facilities across the country has increased with the growing summer heat.

 
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