In February 2013, a crucial incident happened in London, which raised doubts whether air pollution caused the death of a nine-year-old child. It is a crystal rectifier to the current extent when Ella Adoo Kissi-Debrah died following an acute asthma attack due to air pollution in her locality. She is the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. In the UK, Air pollution has never been identified as an inquest and this might be the primary cause of its kind within the world as well. Ella's death framed the first in the world to be legally certified as the cause through "air pollution". Ella's mother Rosamund aforesaid before this severe issue, her daughter had been an active and intelligent child. She loved to listen to music and was a habitual singer and swimmer. As she was Rosamund's first-born child, thus she was the center of their world. + + + + + + +Ella was first taken to hospital in 2010 after a repetitive cough issue and had barely respiration symptoms. As a six-year-old child, she suffered a lot as she had been placed in a medically evoked coma for three days to stabilize her acute metastasis conditions. By the summer of 2012, Ella was classified as disabled and her mother, Ms. Rosamund aforesaid she often had to carry her by piggyback to induce her around. Ella had been admitted to the hospital nearly 30 times and had a protocol with the Lewisham hospital and London ambulance services to ensure that she was treated rapidly whenever she collapsed or suffered a seizure in a while. Unlikely in asthma, Ella’s attacks were not triggered by pollen or metastatic infections but something else. Holgate’s study on this discovers that pattern as a seasonal one: it was in winter when air pollution levels spiked that Ella was brought down with coughing fits, that triggered secretions in her lungs which successively triggered her collapses. She lived in a distance of less than 30 meters from the South Circular, a busy and engorged road in Lewisham in South-East London, and the heavy traffic on the South Circular. On the night of 14 February 2013, Ella was rushed to the hospital, where emergency teams repeatedly tried to resuscitate her in Lewisham hospital. She was struggling to breathe and her condition deteriorated. Her condition broke down to its worst as she was declared dead at 3:27 am on the 15th of February. + + + + + + +In 2014, an inquest centered on medical aid provided to the child found that she died of acute respiratory failure as a result of a severe asthma attack (respiratory disease). Ella's mother repeatedly said that she and her family knew nothing about air pollution or nitrogen dioxide when her daughter was alive. She got to know someone who told her that in the past two days around Ella’s death, there have been massive spikes in air pollution domestically. From that manner, the evidence grew up, and the case was taken up by the human rights lawyer Jocelyn Cockburn. Her family was successful in their application to the court to open up the inquest in the light of new evidence regarding air pollution. It was granted after the lawyers for the family bestowed new proof to the Attorney General that directly linked Ella’s serious form of asthma and her death with the significant traffic on the South Circular area near her home in London. Ella's death concurred with one of the worst air pollution surges in her native place. Her mother took her stand and declared that air pollution was a public health emergency and immediate action was required to assist respiratory illness sufferers like her daughter due to air pollution.
An important inquest is persisting in London to determine whether air pollution is the reason behind the death of Ella. Ella's death could become possibly the first in the world to be legally authorized as having been affected by air pollution. In 2019, the family of the girl was successful in applying to the high court to reopen the inquest and an inquiry was opened recently and this will conclude whether air pollution caused or contributed to the death of the girl. Her Mother kept on taking legal advice and narrating the complete incident whomsoever she met. In 2014, the decision of the first inquiry was given that says " something was on air " which can diode to Ella's severe respiratory disease. Still, the role of pollution wasn't mentioned by the court. Ella's mother launched a campaign in response to the court's order and honor of Ella's tenth birthday. + + + The inquest followed a review by an air pollution specialist stating a high level of Nitrogen dioxide and harmful substance near her home to the time of hospital admission. London's mayor Sadiq Khan said that air pollution is a public health problem. He also added that "he is pleased to have been able to support the family in their efforts to get the inquest overturned." The total inquiry that started on Monday 14th December 2020 will proceed for approximately 10 days and can take into account whether or not the pollution triggered or contributed to a loss of life. In a way, air pollution rangers have been monitored on the time points corresponding to steps taken to scale back air pollution and data supplied to the general public concerning the rangers, the risk and methods to scale back publicity can even be taken up. + + +In 2018, on behalf of Sir Stephen Holgate's report, an earlier inquest was smashed in May 2019 and a fresh inquest was suggested in 2020 by the court. This was done to examine the air pollution role in Ella's case. The inquest went for around two weeks of November and December 2020. + + +In explicit, Ella’s condition was confirmed to be exacerbated by her living within the neighborhood of London’s South Circular Road. Where traffic-induced pollution is above-average “ even for London ”. Later academician Paul Wilkinson of the London faculty of Tropical Diseases, WHO also submitted evidence at the inquiry. According to the faculty member Sir Stephen Holgate, her conditions deteriorated in 2012 due to extreme air pollution levels. + +Coroner Barlow thoroughbred that from 2010 to 2013, Ella's sickness had developed. She had been exposed to Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) levels, more than the WHO tips. Both of them were mainly caused by traffic emissions. Moreover, the State didn't act against this pollution, to bring it in line with legal limits obligatory each in EU and domestic law. Finally, Ella’s death was recorded as “ asthma contributed by exposure to excessive air pollution ”. + +Also, Ella’s family argued that the Government’s failure to guard the general public against such dangerous levels of pollution planted a breach of Article two of the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to life. However, the Court didn't address this argument in its Record of inquiry.
Ella Kissi Debrah's family initiated a campaign in London, UK. Ella's mother Rosamund is an important voice and the advocate of the clean air movement set up by the family. The movement is labeled as The Ella Roberta Family Foundation to ameliorate the lives of children suffering from asthma. The family brought up a legal battle to concede the role of air pollution in her daughter's death. The absorbed persons, in this case, include several government departments along with the Mayor of London. Reportedly, 200,000 children and young people in London have asthma. Say, three children in every classroom. + + +Rosamund is adeptly a teacher that owes to her amiable tone with a forceful and insistent voice. She firmly stresses the fact that she is not blaming any other governing body or healthcare professionals who treated Ella during her illness. She is also ignorant about the prediction of what the ruling will be. She rather emphasizes the original cause of her daughter's illness. She even brought forth a discussion that this could happen to any of us. If the proposed reason for death due to air pollution is proved, it would raise an alarm and the government will take firm steps to control air pollution. This would significantly bring a seismic change by preventing such severe medical cases in the future. + + +Ella's mother is determined to struggle for the reason for her daughter's death. She promised Ella that she would find the true cause of her death and pen it down on her death certificate. Rosamund's advocate Jocelyn Cockburn, who is a partner and Human Rights Solicitor, at Hodge Jones and Allen Solicitors. He consistently supported Rosamund in her quest and adhered to how the inquest will examine the actions, or inaction of the UK government authorities, including Ella's lifetime and today's scenario. This would aid in intercepting air pollution and the coroner will consider if Ella's death could have been avoided with lessons to avoid future deaths due to air pollution. + + +Moreover, Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights assures the right to life. Ella could have claimed that she breathed unlawful levels of dirty air that would hold the authorities to account and demand action. Apart from forming this valid example, the earshot could also specify the uncertain losses by the United Kingdom permissions so that Ella should have been provided with a 'Right to Live'. +However, after the approval of the second inquest, Ella will possibly become the first person in the world to have air pollution recorded as the cause of death. + + +Professor cum Dr. Arvind Kumar who is a Founder Controller of Lung Care Foundation (India) asserted that the research in Ella's death could eventually turn out to protect the lives of millions of kids around the world, comprising India. Professor Arvind Kumar ascertained the air pollution near Ella's neighborhood in London which affected her asthma seizures. Healthy air is a human privilege and it's high time for the administration to do something about it.
Ella Adoo Kissi-Debrah's death became one of the most prominent cases against air pollution. In 2019, her parents were successful in reopening the case in the High Court. Her parents asserted, Ella's death was caused by poisonous air pollution which caused her respiratory damage. From fumes emitted from industries, vehicles, and waste incineration over the cities to the emission of smokes inside the homes caused by burning solid fuels, air pollution is a major threat to health and climate worldwide. + + +Every year around 7 million people in the world dies due to Air Pollution. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 4.2 million people die every year worldwide because of Ambient (outdoor) Air Pollution. In the year 2016, Household Air Pollution was responsible for the death of 3.8 million people globally. WHO released data shows that 9 out of 10 people are exposed to the air that contains a higher concentration of pollutants than recommended by the organisation. It is also mentioned in the report , around 91% of the population are living in air populated areas which is resulting in asthma and acute respiratory issues. + + +According to Dr. Maria Meira, Director of WHO department of environment, climate change and health : Air pollution is a Gladiator, and above 90% of the bairns +breathe polluted Air on a daily basis. According to the most recent data released by State of Global Air 2019, Air Pollution is the fifth leading risk factor for mortality globally leaving behind the other well-known risk factors of death such as alcohol use, malnutrition, and physical inactivity. Air Pollution reduced the life expectancy by 1 year and 8 months. In 2017, on an average worldwide and around 3.6 billion people that is nearly a half of the total world's population were exposed to household air pollution. + + +Nevertheless, Death of Ella kissi- Debrah at the age of 9, Sparkle the foglamp on toxic quality of air. This could raise an important legal step and makes the stronger point that the toxic air is being consumed by the people every day. WHO has summoned a global platform to reduce air pollution and its impact on health and climate. The organisation is also leading an Urban Health Initiative and is taking effective urban air pollution controlling actions. It is also spreading awareness among the people to the surging need for taking actions to curb the air pollution and its effect on climate and health.