KUALA LUMPUR: Unicef, the United Nations children’s fund, has called for stronger measures to protect children from the health and social impacts of the recurring haze crisis, including ensuring access to healthcare, education and essential support during school closures.
In a statement today, Unicef Malaysia deputy representative Sanja Saranovic said about nine in 10 of Malaysia’s nine million children are exposed to harmful fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, potentially causing serious health problems.
“Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution because their lungs, brains and immune systems are still developing, with exposure potentially causing damage that could begin before birth and last a lifetime,” she said.
Saranovic outlined four priorities to strengthen protection during haze episodes. These were: helping families prepare, ensuring continuity of learning, maintaining access to healthcare and social support, and strengthening preparedness plans at schools and clinics.
She said families should receive clear information on school closures and practical advice on reducing exposure to polluted air, while schools should provide offline learning materials and self-learning kits for children without devices or reliable internet access.
Schools and healthcare facilities should have haze preparedness plans linked to official air-quality information and health guidance, with low-cost air-quality monitors helping schools assess local conditions and respond accordingly.
“In haze hotspots, air purifiers in schools can also be considered as part of a targeted strategy, recognising the costs and the need to prioritise schools and children facing the greatest exposure,” she said.
Saranovic acknowledged the need for school closures to safeguard children from poor air quality. However, prolonged disruptions could affect their learning and well-being, particularly those without devices or reliable internet access for home-based learning, she said. Schools also served as places where children could access daily routines, trusted adults, peer connections and, in some cases, vital meals and social support.
Tackling the haze crisis required collective action by Malaysia and its neighbours to prevent forest and peatland fires, strengthen air-quality monitoring and ensure greater accountability among governments and businesses, while safeguarding the livelihoods of affected communities, Saranovic said.
“Children cannot stop the fires, clear the air, or decide when schools will reopen. They depend on adults to act, and they have a right to be heard in those decisions,” she said.