NAIROBI, Kenya – A new report from the Health Effects Institute (HEI) has highlighted the devastating health impacts of air pollution in East Africa, revealing that nearly 30% of newborn deaths in the region are linked to household air pollution.
The report, titled Health Effects of Air Pollution in East Africa: Current Evidence and Priorities for Future Action, underscores the alarming toll of solid fuel use—such as wood, charcoal, and coal—for cooking, heating, and lighting in homes.
According to the HEI’s findings, in 2021 alone, an estimated 76,000 newborns died due to prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), with household air pollution accounting for over 90% of these deaths.
This stark statistic reveals the dire consequences of air pollution, which continues to undermine public health in the region.
While East Africa remains heavily affected by infectious diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, the report points to a rising wave of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) exacerbated by environmental factors like air pollution.
In 2021, the report found that 31% of deaths from NCDs in the region were linked to exposure to polluted air—a figure that illustrates the growing “double burden of disease” the region faces.
This dual challenge strains already overburdened health systems and hampers socioeconomic development.
Beyond newborn mortality, the report outlines a range of health conditions connected to polluted air, including childhood pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular diseases, strokes, and lung cancer.
Long-term exposure to polluted air also leads to a host of developmental and cognitive issues in children, as well as an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s in adults.
Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable, with air pollution raising the likelihood of hypertensive disorders, stillbirths, miscarriages, and complications such as low birth weight and preterm deliveries.
The risks associated with air pollution are especially severe in areas where access to clean energy and adequate healthcare is limited.
In these regions, the absence of basic infrastructure further amplifies the harmful effects of environmental toxins.
The HEI report, which was shaped by discussions at a 2023 scoping workshop, calls for urgent, evidence-based action to address the escalating crisis.
The report emphasizes the need for more comprehensive health studies on the long-term effects of air pollution exposure in East Africa and urges governments, researchers, and health advocates to harness existing data to inform policy decisions and accelerate solutions.
In its recommendations, the report stresses that air pollution is no longer just an environmental issue—it has become a public health emergency.
The HEI advocates for interventions such as clean cooking initiatives, the adoption of sustainable energy policies, and enhanced air quality monitoring to reduce exposure and save thousands of lives.
These measures, the report suggests, could significantly improve the health of millions across East Africa, particularly the most vulnerable populations, including newborns and pregnant women.
