The girl suffers from severe asthma which leads to episodes of cardiac and respiratory arrest and has been repeatedly admitted to the emergency hospital for three years.
The medical causes of his death were exposure to acute respiratory failure, severe asthma and air pollution. The coroner’s conclusion was that Ella “dies from asthma contributing to exposure to excessive air pollution.”
Charity Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation said Ella was the first person in world history to report air pollution listed as the cause of death on her death certificate.
Assistant Coroner Philip Barlow said Ella’s mother was not informed about air pollution and asthma, which could lead to action being taken, which might have prevented her daughter’s death.
“Air pollution was a significant contributing factor to both its inclusion and deterioration in asthma,” Barolo said in Southwark Coroner’s Court, after two weeks of questioning. “
“Between 2010 and 2001, during her illness, she was exposed to nitrogen dioxide levels and particulate matter in excess of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.”
According to PA, “the main source of her contact was traffic emissions.”
Barlow said there was a failure to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels during this period to the limits set by the European Union and local law.
“We have received justice for what she deserved,” Ella’s mother Rosamund Kisi-Debrah said after the verdict.
But he added: “Besides, it’s about other kids when we walk around our city with air pollution.”
“Its legacy is to bring in a new Clean Air Act and for governments – I’m not just talking about the UK government – governments around the world will take this matter seriously,” Kisi-Debrah said.
“I think it lacks an understanding of the damage it does to young lungs, especially since it’s not really designed.”
Kisi-Debrah said he would “like to see a public awareness campaign” on the damage caused by air pollution, rather than a game of blame. “
An earlier 2014 ruling, which concluded that Ella had died of acute respiratory failure, was overturned by the High Court following new evidence of dangerous levels of air pollution near her home.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called it a “landmark moment” and praised Ella’s mother for her “extraordinary” courage and years of campaigning.
A 2018 report by Stephen Holgate, a professor at the University of Southampton, found levels of air pollution at the Catford Monitoring Station where Ella had exceeded legal EU limits three years before her death, according to PA.
“If we want a healthy pay generation to come into the world, we have to clean up our environment,” Holgate said in a news briefing after the interrogation.
He said the health and medical profession must start “owning some of these problems” because they were with smoking.
“Our hearts go out to Ella’s family who have fought tirelessly for today’s landmark result,” said Sarah Woolnoff, chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation. “
“Ella’s legacy draws attention to the invisible dangers of breathing dirty air,” he said, “especially for people with asthma or lung disease.”
“Today’s judgment is an example of how earthquakes must work together with the government, local authorities and hospitals to address the country’s air pollution health crisis.”
A UK government spokesman said: “Our thoughts remain with Ella’s family and friends.”
The government is providing a 3.8 billion plan to clean up transportation, tackle NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) pollution and protect communities from air pollution, as well as set ambitious new air quality targets, the spokesman said.
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