By Awa Sowe
Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and other diseases and are important sources of morbidity and mortality.
WHO data show that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures.
Air quality is closely linked to the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally. Many of the drivers of air pollution (i.e. combustion of fossil fuels) are also sources o
F greenhouse gas emissions. Policies to reduce air pollution, therefore, offer a win-win strategy for both climate and health, lowering the burden of disease attributable to air pollution, as well as contributing to the near- and long-term mitigation of climate change.
In line with this, The Permian Health Lung Institute recently hosted the inaugural Air Quality Conference in The Gambia focusing on the significant subject of air pollution. The event coincided with the International Day for Clean Air and Blue Skies co-sponsored by the Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform.
Mr Sunkaru Touray, MD, FACP, FCCP Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer Permian Health Lung Institute, explained that Permian Health Clean Air Initiative seeks to promote lung health locally by filling critical air quality knowledge, technological, and evidence gaps in The Gambia, through a strategic partnership with IQAIR, a Swiss-based manufacturer of air sensor technology.
He added that they have installed an integrated network of low-cost air quality sensors in various locations in The Gambia, including business centres, health facilities, schools, residential communities, and national and local government agencies.
“This network will provide real-time data on air quality enabling citizens, and local authorities to quickly respond to changes in air pollution that could affect public health. In addition, Permian Health will share air quality data freely and openly in a user-friendly format that is accessible to users at our contributor page here, and on-Air Visual App - a proprietary mobile application developed by IQAir,” he further revealed.
Mr Touray said the collaborative effort will democratise access to air pollution data, create awareness, and disseminate knowledge about air pollution and its effects on the population, leading to better public health outcomes.
Christa Hasenkopf, Director of the Air Quality Life Index and Air Quality Programmes at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, discussed the impact of PM2.5 pollutions on human health, highlighting the unequal distribution of air quality infrastructure globally.
She stressed the need for satellite and ground monitoring data to yield good results in air pollution research, noting the success of China in reducing air pollution and the potential for other countries to learn from their efforts.
Her Excellency Dr Isatou Touray, Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP, highlighted the gender impacts of occupational air pollution in The Gambia, particularly the exposure of women to air pollutants through household air pollution during biomass fuel usage for cooking.
Dr Touray emphasised the importance of involving women in discussions and decision-making processes to develop appropriate interventions. She also stressed the promotion of clean stoves and alternative energy sources to reduce household air pollution and improve lung health for women.
Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council Dr Mohammadou Kabir Cham stresses the importance of increasing air pollution literacy in The Gambia and empowering medical and public health professionals.
Dr Cham called for a data-driven and informed approach to address the issue of air pollution as most Gambians, especially women, are exposed to air pollutants, and overrepresented in activities and occupations both in the home and outside.
Dr Buba Manjang, Director of Public Health in The Gambia, and Dr Collins GameliHodoli, a lecturer at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development in Ghana, presented preliminary findings on air pollution in the Gambia. He highlighted the limited monitoring and research on air pollution in Africa and called for appropriate mitigation strategies.
Other speakers were Dr Dawda Badgie, the Director of the National Environment Agency; Ismail D. Badjie, PharmD, Founder and CEO of Innovarx Global Health.