By Natukunda Hanna Claire
Uganda is commemorating Air Quality Awareness Week that started on 6th and ends on 10th under the theme “Knowing your air to Protect Human Health and the Environment”.
The Executive Director of the National Environment Management Authority, Barirega Akankwasah says important to raise public awareness about air quality and its impact on human health and the environment.
It is emphasized that air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter and tropospheric ozone, is the leading environmental risk to human health globally. Alarmingly, 99% of people worldwide are exposed to air pollution levels that exceed WHO guidelines, resulting in approximately 6.7 million premature deaths annually. In comparison, other causes of death such as malaria, HIV, road accidents, and even Covid-19 pale in comparison to the devastating effects of air pollution.
In Uganda, compromised air quality leads to approximately 31,600 deaths from air pollution-related diseases every year, with transport being identified as the primary source of pollution followed by domestic and biomass burning. Additional causes of air pollution include industrial emissions and dust from unpaved roads.
To combat this concerning issue, the Government of Uganda has implemented several measures, such as establishing National Standards and Regulations for Air Quality for the first time in the country’s history.
This week’s campaign is unveiling these standards to the public to increase awareness and compliance. Additionally, initiatives such as tree planting to improve forest cover, installation of pollution control technologies in industries, proper waste management practices, tarmacking of roads, and promoting cleaner energy sources are being prioritized.
Mr Bariregah encourages all citizens, government entities, the private sector, and civil society organizations to wholeheartedly support and implement these interventions in order to effectively address the escalating problem of air pollution in Uganda.
By working together, it is believed that significant progress can be made towards improving air quality and safeguarding the health of the population and the environment.
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