According to a 2014 research report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), seven million people died prematurely in 2012 globally, the result of breathing polluted air.

 

The report estimates that about 176,000 people die prematurely each year in Africa due to outdoor air pollution.

 

The impact of air pollution has been established to be far greater than motor accidents, malaria and HIV and AIDS together, considering the number of persons affected each year.

 

In Ghana, acute respiratory illness caused by air pollution has been identified as one of the top 10 causes of outpatient hospital visits.

 

Describing the problem of air pollution as being very scary and worrying, the United Nations (UN) and some African and Indian science and health experts therefore called on African governments in particular to institute effective clean air action plans to reduce air pollution, protect public health and mitigate deaths caused by air pollution.

 

They made the call at the First Indian-African dialogue and media briefing on air quality and mobility in Nairobi, Kenya recently.

 

The meeting was organised by the leading Indian think tank for science and environment, Centre for Science and Environment, in collaboration with the Media for Environment, Science, Health And Agriculture (MESHA).

 

Air pollution and its health implications

 

Making a presentation on the topic, Professor Shem Wadingo of the Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi, defined air pollution as the introduction of harmful materials into the earth’s atmosphere which causes biological health effects on living things.

 

He cited carbon monoxide particularly from motor vehicles; sulfur oxide from industrial activities; nitrogen oxide, Ammonia emitted from agro processes and other sources and particulate matter as primary outdoor air pollutants.

 

Professor Wadingo said air pollution was a significant risk factor for a number of health conditions including respiratory infections, cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, lung and other forms of cancers and asthmas. 

 

In his presentation on air quality monitoring and management, the Director-General of Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority, Professor Geoffery Wahungu, said traffic congestion and worsening air quality in cities of Africa and India were worrying.

 

He also said cities in Africa and India had a natural advantage in their dominant commuting practices.