UN agencies launch app for sun safety to reduce cancer risk

22 Jun 2022 --- The SunSmart Global UV app, recently launched by agencies of the UN, provides a five-day UV and weather forecast. It notifies users when sun protection is needed and aims to help inform people around the world about the importance of UV protection in an effort to reduce skin cancer cases and UV-related eye damage.

In an exclusive interview with PersonalCareInsights, Dr. Stoyka Netcheva, a scientific officer at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), explains that the development was initiated by Dr. Craig Sinclair, prevention division, center for UV radiation at Cancer Council Victoria, Australia.

“Encouraged by interest and use of the app in Australia, he started working with our organization on this initiative to provide a tool and advisory information for other countries which do not have their own tools and means. The app was developed for sun safety specifically because UV radiation and damage prevention are within his and our expertise,” Dr. Netcheva says.

The Global Solar UV Index was developed jointly by the WHO, the WMO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS).

The app helps users know when to take action against unnecessary prolonged UV exposure.Gearing up against UV rays
With personalized options provided, the app helps users know when to take action against unnecessary prolonged UV exposure. The app is available for free and is offered in Chinese, English, French, Russian, Dutch and Spanish with more languages on the way.

“Evidence shows that overexposure to UV is the major cause of skin cancer. So it’s vital for people to know when and how to protect themselves,” Dr. Maria Neira, director of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) department of environment, climate change and health, says.

”We encourage everyone to use the application to protect themselves and their children, and to make this a daily habit.”

The application coincides with the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and well-being worldwide by 2030, by raising awareness about the preventative actions that can reduce skin cancer.

“UV radiation is at its max”
According to the WMO, the EU’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service feeds into the global UV app.

“It combines meteorological, environmental and health expertise to help protect people from the sun both at work and in their leisure,” says WMO secretary-general professor Petteri Taalas.

It is unique because it uses data from country-level weather and UV measuring stations to provide accurate and location-specific UV Index readings.”

Vincent-Henri Peuch, the director, explains that UV radiation is now at its maximum in Europe due to the position of the sun in the sky. But the clouds, the ozone layer and the presence of particles in the atmosphere, among others, also influence the amount of UV that reaches the ground, and all of these elements are taken into account in the forecast model that the EU Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service feeds into the app.

“WMO also responds to requests from developing countries to adapt the App to their location. By incorporating data collected from monitoring stations, the forecast is fueled with local data,” Netcheva explains regarding the locality of the forecasts.

Too much sun can easily be dangerous for your health.General sun safety
While vitamin D does help to prevent the development of bone diseases such as rickets, osteomalacia and osteoporosis, too much sun can easily be unsafe and hazardous for your health, according to the WHO.

The WHO explains that by limiting the amount of time spent in the midday sun, seeking shade during the most intense hours of UV ray exposure, wearing protective clothing and frequently applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen, many UV-related illnesses can be avoided.

The application has the potential to make a positive impact on hazardous laboring circumstances. “The International Labour Conference adopted a Resolution on June 10, recognizing a safe and healthy work environment as a new Fundamental Principle and Right at Work.”

“It is a global call for increased efforts to prevent work-related injuries and diseases. Tools such as SunSmart Global UV are a small but useful contribution to this endeavor,” says director Vera Paquete-Perdigão at ILO’s Governance and Tripartism Department.

By Mieke Meintjes

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