Kampala Is Dirtiest City In East Africa

Kampala Is Dirtiest City In East Africa


Kampala City has been ranked the most polluted capital city in East Africa by the World Health Organization.

The WHO report states that the level of pollution is so high, putting the health of residents of Kampala at risk of disease.

The report states that humans should not be living in Kampala city because the air in Kampala city was five times worse than that which is recommended for humans.

Kampala is the fifth dirtiest city in Africa, ranking just better than four cities in Nigeria namely, Onitsha, Kaduna, Aba and Umuahia.

The reports indicates that 80 percent of Kampala residents breath in air that is so bad, so polluted, it puts us at the risk of lung cancer and chronic respiratory asthma.

The least polluted city was named as Sinclair in the Unites States.

The State Minister for Environment Mary Goretti Kitutu stopped short of declaring Kampala a disaster city, saying the levels of pollution were unacceptable.

A study by Makerere University scientists says the Particulate Matter (PM) for Kampala and Jinja were at an alarming of 132 micrograms per cubic metro instead of the WHO acceptable levels of 25 micrograms per cubic metro.

No East African City features in the top 20 with the closest being Morogoro in Tanzania at number 33 in Africa.

The WHO says almost all air pollution related deaths (94%) occur in low and middle income countries with large parts of Africa, Eastern Europe, India, China and the Middle East the biggest danger spots.

Some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6% of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together.

“Air pollution continues take a toll on the health of the most vulnerable populations – women, children and the older adults. For people to be healthy, they must breathe clean air from their first breath to their last,” says Dr Flavia Bustreo, Assistant Director General at WHO.

About Post Author