Scenario of Public Health and Environment in Pakistan: A Review

*Laraib Ehtasham and Rabail Urooj

Department of Environmental Sciences, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, Brewery Road Quetta, Pakistan.

^*Corresponding Author’s: E-mail Addresses ✉: lrb.khilji7@gmail.com

Accepted November 19, 2019

The environmental pollution and disturbances are adversely impacting the public health in Pakistan. Pollutants present in air like suspended particulate matter (SPM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx) become the cause of various respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Water pollution affects public (especially children) by causing water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, kidney issues etc. Along with these problems, noise pollution is also elevating hypertension and psychological effects (stress, sleep disorders, etc.) in the country. Additionally, exposure to heavy metals and pesticides are also increasing severe diseases and health disruptions, one of which is cancer. Furthermore, the climate change causing droughts, crop yield alteration, Himalayan-Hindukush-Karakoram glaciers melting, floods, temperature elevation and rainfall disturbances in Pakistan is one of the dominant factors affecting the public health. The health impacts caused due to these climatic variations in the country include malnutrition, anaemia, water-borne diseases (cholera, diarrhoea, etc., and extended outbreaks of vector-borne diseases (dengue, chikungunya, etc.).

Key words: Environment, health, Pakistan, diseases, pollution, climate change.

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