Most South Asian Children Are Exposed to Severe Heat

In a news statement on Monday, UNICEF stated that its study of 2020 statistics revealed an estimated 460 million children were exposed to temperatures in countries like India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

These countries are the hardest-hit regions for those under the age of 18 since there are 83 or more days in a year that are warmer than 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).

According to the data, 76% of children in South Asia and 32% worldwide were exposed to extremely high temperatures.

Most children in South Asia are exposed to extremely high temperatures

Sanjay Wijesekera, regional director for UNICEF in South Asia, stated that although the countries in the region are not now the hottest in the world, the heat here poses a life-threatening risk to millions of vulnerable children. 

In June, temperatures in some areas of India climbed to 47°C, resulting in at least 44 fatalities and hundreds of cases of heat-related diseases.

Similar high temperatures were recorded in certain Pakistani cities during the same month, which caused concern, particularly for the poor and laborers who spend many hours working outside.

According to UNICEF, over 1.8 million people in Sindh province in the south of the country were subject to temperatures of 40°C or greater, posing short- and long-term health concerns like dehydration and organ failure.

Wijesekera claimed that young children "simply cannot handle the heat."

"These children will continue to suffer the consequences of more frequent and severe heat waves in the years to come, through no fault of their own unless we take action now."

You may also like: Europe Is Further Plagued By Floods, Fires, and Torrential Rains