Public Health and Air Pollution in Asia PAPA Project Case study

1
Public Health and Air Pollution in AsiaPAPA
Project Case study

• Bob OKeefe
• Health Effects Institute
• RAQ Initiatives Meeting
• Bangkok

2
Overview slide

• HEI
• PAPA Overview
• Advancement Extension of Knowledge Base
• Capacity Building
• Policy Relevance
• Regional Exchange Coordination

3
HEI-The Idea

• A non-profit research institute founded in 1980
• To provide high quality, impartial and relevant
  science on the health effects of air pollution..
• .To guide public and private decision makers,
  often in controversial circumstances
• Jointly and equally funded by worldwide auto
  industry US EPA
• Other partners WHO, EC, CARB, USAID, ADB,
  Industries in North America, Europe and Asia
  (e.g. fuels, chemical, engines)
• Foundations and environmental NGOs
• Over 220 studies completed to date
• Americas, Asia, Europe
• Ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, Air
  Toxics (diesel exhaust, benzene, butadiene,
  metals, others) Fuels and additives
• Epidemiology, toxicology, exposure assessment and
  related areas

4
Potential Drivers for Change
Drivers for Change
Decision Makers
Change
Fuels
Public Concern

• Parliaments
• National Agencies
• International Agencies
• Lenders
• Industries
• NGOs and Other Stakeholders

IM
Visibility
Controls
Health
Planning
Ecosystems
5
The Main Driver - Public Health

• Many Potentially Sensitive Populations
• Children
• Elderly
• Growing number of asthmatics
• Air pollution has widespread exposure
• WHO Global burden of disease identified
  potentially very large impacts
• Thousands of Premature Deaths, Tens of Thousands
  of Hospitalizations, Days of work and school lost
• Western studies basis for analysis

6
PAPA Program

• Partnership with CAI-ASIA to understand the
  health effects of air pollution in local Asia
  populations, now and in the future
• (Support USAID, Hewlett, industry)
• Effort actively underway
• Scientific Review of what is known today about
  health effects in Asian cities published in
  April, 2004
• New health studies in representative Asian cities
  (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Wuhan) underway,
  Chennai, Guangzhou and others to follow
• Understand local impact, inform extrapolation,
  poverty impact
• Comprehensive assessment of the state of air
  pollution and health across Asian cities at study
  conclusion
• Build capacity of local scientists
• Overall Goal
• Inform key Asian regulatory policy decisions

7
Advancement of Knowledge

• 2004 Review Assembles for the first time studies
  of air pollution and health from across Asia
• 140 studies from Asia region evaluating
  multiple pollutants health effects
• Creates new resource for policy makers
• First-ever meta (combined) analysis to measure
  acute air pollution health effects across Asian
  cities (results later)
• New studies underway in four cities (Bangkok,
  Hong Kong, Shanghai, Wuhan) to fill gaps in
  understanding
• Targeted studies added in Chennai, other cities
  less well studied where pollution levels,
  population density is high (India, Indonesia,
  Philippines, Vietnam, (others)
• Key future focus air pollutions effects on the
  poor
• Comprehensive assessment of air pollution and
  health in 2006
• Authoritative many types of studies, populations
• Translated to multiple languages

8
Capacity Building

• Capacity building formed around actual new
  research (not only workshops)
• From outset selection criteria stressed
• Selection of Asia led staffed investigator
  teams
• Strong linkages to local health, regulatory
  officials to enhance systemic data access
  drive quality (policy relevance)
• For all selected investigators
• Paired with highly qualified international
  science teams to design studies
• Key element Coordinated study design drives
  capacity building regular interrelationships
  among scientists from diverse regions to produce
  a real product (e.g. integrated health study)
• Periodic regional visits by ISOC to provide
  technical assistance, QA\QC,
• HEI Peer review to provide technical feedback,
  guidance on honing science, and effective
  communication to regional policy makers
• Phase 2 studies (promising teams in understudied
  areas needing additional skills)
• Join subset of workshops with goal of submitting
  fundable proposals in year
• Fogarty workshops in India How to prepare
  successful scientific applications

9
Regional Exchange Coordination

• Studies Designed for Asia-Wide Coordination and
  exchange
• Building strong networks of health scientists
  across Asia (along with their respective air
  pollution and health agencies)
• Hosting both regional international technical
  workshops to build network
• Bangkok ISOC workshop in February 7 Asia
  science teams, regulators
• HEI Annual Meeting (latest global science)
• ISEE (professional development, networking, PAPA
  session in 05 to foster interest in regional
  issues of air pollution health)
• PAPA methodology designed to facilitate use in
  other Asian cities, to systematically build a
  health database for Asia
• HEI established dedicated web message board to
  facilitate education, communication
• All PAPA studies widely distributed, web posted
  
• Briefings of agencies, stakeholders across Asia
  on all PAPA studies and reports
• Key studies translated into multiple languages

10
Policy Relevance Impact

• The Special Challenge in Asia
• Can what we know about air pollution in the West
  be applied to decisions in Asia?
• Although well done, WHO GBD based on western
  studies. relevance to Asia has been questioned
• HEI-PAPA approach
• Quality, independent science
• From outset strong linkages to local health,
  regulatory officials required in scientific
  proposals so that policy makers support, trust
  science (regular early briefings for industry,
  government, NGOs)
• Results presented in lay terms, in context of
  existing science from WHO, IARC, others
• As a result, HEI science regularly highlighted in
  key standard setting processes across the globe,
  in scientific journals, press
• Enhancing PAPAs impact
• Maintain high-quality science throughout
• Active involvement of leading Asian scientists on
  PAPA ISOC
• Advisory Board with key Asian representatives for
  guidance on identifying key local officials,
  relevant policy forums
• Regular regional visits to report results to key
  stakeholders across region No surprises
• Continuing communication as key policy decisions
  are being made (e.g. Vietnam workshop, WHO
  forums)
• Integration of Policy makers Scientists
  (BAQ-PAPA Health forum December 04)

11

• Thank You!
• rokeefe_at_healtheffects.org