Government Has To Tackle Air Pollution, Says Mother Who Lost Her Child To Asthma
2 May 2019, 17:14 | Updated: 2 May 2019, 19:27
Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah tells Shelagh Fogarty that air pollution will only be addressed if the government take stronger action on the issue after she tragically lost her daughter to an asthma attack.
The mother of a 9-year-old girl from south London who died of a severe asthma attack has succeeded in being granted a fresh inquest in her daughter's death.
Ella Kissi-Debrah died in 2013 but a report last year suggested it's likely high levels of air pollution near her home in Lewisham were a factor.
Speaking to LBC presenter Shelagh Fogarty, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said she feels a lot of advice on air pollution is too focused on individual actions and called on the government to making more progress on the issue.
"What is the government doing, there needs to be pressure from above."
Shelagh said: "A story like yours and Ella's - if that doesn't make people pay attention, what will?"
Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah responded "I hope so, she is absolutely striking and beautiful and would have been 15 today.
"She didn't live to achieve her ultimate ambition - she wanted to be a pilot.
"She would have contributed greatly to society."
When Shelagh asked about the impact the inquest may have, Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said: "I hope the coroner rules widely, I don't want it to be just for her in this situation and this is what happened to this child.
"It's going to be so important for there to be a wider ruling and for him to make recommendations that need to be followed up."
She asked Shelagh: "Would we drink dirty water?
"It's our human right to breathe clean air and it's not as if there aren't solutions.
"Look, some of them are inconvenient, some of them area difficult, some of them are costly, but its being linked to so many things that we're paying for it at the other end at the National Health Service.
"The quality of lives people are living is affected - thats what is important."
