Statement on Impact of Air Pollution on Human Health; Africa Region

Abstract

The impacts of air pollution on human health are enormous and in African region, morbidity and mortality from air pollution causes rose since 1990. The significant sources of air pollution have been observed from human activities such as Industrialization, agricultural burning, transport and traffic, combustion of wood, coal, paraffin and animal dung for household energy needs, dusty roads and burning of household solid waste in areas without regular residential waste collection services. Africa with a poor health system faces a severe lack of air pollution detection metrics, with only 7 out of 54 countries having air quality detection monitors. Long- and short-term exposure to air pollution is associated with increasing rate of morbidity and mortality from acute and chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancers. The progression of asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases is linked to air pollution exposure. Measures to reduce and control air pollution in Africa Region have been suggested in this paper.