For the first time, WHO presents country data on the burden of disease that is preventable through healthier environments. These estimates provide the stepping stone for informed policy making in disease prevention.

The country profiles provide an overview of summary information on selected parameters that describe the environmental health situation of a country, as well as a preliminary estimate of health impacts caused by environmental risks. Such preliminary estimates can be used as an input to more refined estimates of a country's health impacts.

These country estimates are a milestone in a first step to assisting national decision-makers in the sectors of health and environment to set priorities for preventive action. The first step is to quantify burden, and now the second step is for countries to select the appropriate interventions.

This is a World Health Organization report.