Silent killers

Progress in medicine is leading to the eradication worldwide of diseases such as polio. Development, however, is also spawning problems that threaten millions of lives. About 120 delegates from 30 Asian and Western countries gathered in Manila last week for a three-day conference to discuss environmental threats to children's health. A conference report painted an alarming picture of the price of development.

An average of three million children under the age of five die each year due to diarrheal diseases resulting from contaminated water, the conference report said. Air pollution also takes its toll, causing respiratory diseases that are blamed for up to 20 percent of deaths among children below five years old. Cases of asthma among children are increasing, particularly in developing countries, the report said. Meanwhile, in industrialized countries, exposure to toxic chemicals is increasing the number of cancer cases among children.

In the Philippines, a report noted that children's exposure to heavily polluted air has become a public health problem. Health workers point out that children are more severely affected by air pollution than adults. In rural areas where the air is cleaner, children are susceptible to water-borne diseases due to lack of safe water facilities. Children are also exposed to toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

These problems are not insurmountable. A law has been passed to clean up the air. But this program's success will hinge on aggressive implementation of anti-pollution laws and the public's cooperation. Providing safe water is a bigger problem. In many parts of the country, people still don't have access to potable water. The country lacks adequate waste water treatment facilities even as fresh water resources are being depleted. Providing safe water to the entire country and cleaning up the air will require substantial investments. The government, however, can no longer put off making such investments. This is a fight against silent killers. In an unhealthy environment, among the first casualties are children.