Pollution increases birth defects

Environmental pollution, especially due to increasing coal, in China has increased the rate of birth defects by 40% compared to 6 years ago. Every 30 seconds, there is one case of birth defects recorded in this country.

On October 30, Xinhua reported a high rate of birth defects in populated areas near China's coal mines. In large quantities, coal is a major source of energy for China but is also a serious polluter for water and air in the country.

According to the report of the China Population and Family Planning Committee, the rate of birth defects nationwide increased from 104.9 / 10,000 babies in 2001 to 145.5 / 10,000 last year. . There are nearly 1 family for every 10 children with birth defects.

Due to environmental pollution, every year up to 6% of babies born in this country have birth defects (Photo: Xinhua News Agency)

Mr. Jiang Fan, Vice Chairman of the Committee, said: 'C's 30 seconds is that 1 child is born with birth defects and this situation has become more serious year by year .'

According to Xinhua, every year, among 20 million babies in China, between 800,000 and 1.2 million children have birth defects, of which about 300,000 suffer from visual disabilities. That means that every year up to 6% of babies born in China have birth defects.

Statistics show that only 20-30% of children with birth defects can be treated or cured, about 40% suffer from lifelong disabilities, and the rest (30-40%) die How long after birth.

An Huanxiao, who is in charge of family planning in Shanxi Province - an important source of coal and also a heavily polluted place - said there was a clear correlation between the degraded areas. environment with an increase in birth defects.

Shanxi currently leads the nation in birth defects, and the rate of children born with disabilities in the neighborhoods around the province's 8 large coal mines is much higher than the national average.

Xinhua said China currently suffers from serious environmental pollution, with air quality in major cities often overcoming danger and millions of people lacking clean water to use.

In response to this situation, Mr. Jiang called on the Chinese government and people to try to prevent the tendency to increase birth defects - a trend that is ' directly affecting the nation's synergy, its sustainability. socio-economic development and strategy to build a comprehensive prosperous society '.

Quang Thinh