Air pollution is killing more than HIVAIDS

Research on global air quality has revealed that an average person in Kenya would have gained a year and one month of life expectancy if air pollution was reduced to meet guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Latest rankings on the Air Quality Life Index indicated that Kenya is ranked among the moderately polluted countries where air pollution shortens life by 13 months.

Air pollution in Kenya is 3.2 times higher than the WHO guidelines and 0.7 times higher than the global average.

While the data shows that pollution has decreased in some parts of the country, it also shows that it has increased in many more places.

New revelations indicate that those living in regions like Kisumu, which is ranked among the most polluted areas, would live two years longer if the pollution level met the WHO guidelines, while in Nairobi, an average person would live 1.2 years longer.

Between 1998 and 2003, air pollution increased significantly in Kirinyaga, Kisumu, Nairobi, Murang'a and Nyeri while pollution increased the least in Uasin Gishu, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu and Mandera.

The projections from Air Quality Life Index indicated that the average person in the world would have gained two years and 20 months of life expectancy if air pollution was reduced to meet guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.

The report also reveals that more than 99 per cent of the air the world breaths does not meet the World Health Organization's guidelines.

New revelations now indicate that more people are dying as a result of complications brought about by air pollution as compared to well-known killers like malaria, HIV/AIDS and drinking unsafe water.

The toll on life expectancy is more than four times that of alcohol use, five times that of transport injuries or unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing, and more than six times that of HIV/AIDS.

Kenya ranks 67th globally while India and Bangladesh ranked as the world's most polluted countries.

The report highlighted a lack of funding to adequately address air pollution as largely holding back Sub-Saharan Africa from making progress.