Modifiable environmental risk factors kill more than 1 million people in the Region annually

Recent WHO burden of disease studies show that modifiable environmental risk factors are killing more than 1 million people in the Region annually, and causing about 24% of the total burden of disease. These lives could be saved and diseases prevented by implementing appropriate environmental health interventions. Such interventions exist and are proven to be cost effective. Table 1 provides country data on the burden of disease and the number of deaths due to modifiable environmental risk factors.

Table 1. Country data on burden of disease (%) and the number of deaths due to modifiable environmental risk factors