SKOPJE, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Pollution still remains a concern in Macedonia given that over 1,300 deaths every year come as a result of the diseases caused by it, according to a study released on Wednesday.
As high as 30 percent to 35 percent of diseases was caused by air pollution in Macedonia, according to the study released by the National Public Health Institute of Macedonia.
According to the Institute, the Macedonian capital of Skopje was one of the most polluted cities if measured by the concentration of PM 2.5.
The study, carried out in Skopje, was presented at a workshop examining the effects of air pollution on public health.
Dragan Gjorgev, with the Institute, told reporters that air pollution was the direct culprit for three diseases -- namely lung cancer, stroke and coronary artery disease.
The study shows that air pollution contributes to these diseases and is a major cause of death in Macedonia, he said.
