Azerbaijan health minister warns of Caspian pollution risks to public health

Azerbaijan’s Health Minister Teymur Musayev called for stronger regional and cross-border cooperation on the quality of Caspian Sea water, warning that pollution and climate change are posing growing risks to public health. He made the remarks at a Regional Environmental Summit in Astana, Report said.

Musayev said enclosed bodies of water were shared resources and required a coordinated management approach. He added that global warming was affecting aquatic ecosystems by changing water temperature structures and oxygen levels.

“These impacts are not only environmental in nature, but also create serious risks to public health,” Musayev said, according to Report. He said exposure to polluted water was increasingly contributing to gastrointestinal illnesses, chemical poisoning and long-term health effects.

The minister also said Azerbaijan’s Health Ministry and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources were monitoring air quality across the country. At the Astana summit, Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries also adopted a joint statement calling for broader cooperation on climate action, environmental protection and reducing health risks.