Clean Air Campaign: Inclusion of environmental health in

Increasing the number of stations to monitor ultra-fine pollutant of PM 2.5, inclusion of environmental health in medical curriculum and issuance of advisories on environment and health were recommended during a workshop held here today as part of the Clean Air Campaign.
The workshop was inaugurated by Union minister Harsh Vardhan, an official statement said.
It was also recommended that a group of experts, including the ministries concerned, may meet once a month to deliberate on environmental and health issues and may issue health advisories, as required, it said.
The subject environmental health may be included in medical curriculum in all colleges, the statement stated.

"It was also discussed that rampant use of face masks without medical advice/special needs should not be encouraged. It was also recommended that the use of air purifiers can be helpful only in specific situations and is not a substitute to mitigation at source," the statement said.
At the workshop, various assessments on the impact of air pollution on health was examined it was concluded that these should be seen as estimates for policy making.
World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank, the European Union, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Union health ministry, AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital were among those who participated in the workshop.

The 'Clean Air for Delhi' campaign was launched on February 10 jointly by the Centre and the Delhi Government. The campaign would continue till February 23.