By Olimatou Coker
Air pollution is responsible for nearly seven million premature deaths worldwide every year, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Dr Yusupha Touray said Tuesday.
Speaking at Air Quality Awareness Day at the National Environment Agency in Kanifing, Dr Touray called it one of the world’s greatest public health challenges.
“Air pollution is the contamination of our environment by harmful chemical, physical, or biological substances,” he said. “It affects everyone, but children, the elderly, and people with respiratory illnesses like asthma and COPD face the greatest risk.”
Citing World Health Organisation data, he said 99% of the global population breathes air that fails to meet recommended quality standards. Exposure increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and other serious conditions.
The burden falls hardest on low- and middle-income countries, where nearly 90% of outdoor air pollution deaths occur.
“Without stronger action, millions more lives will be affected in the coming decades,” Dr Touray warned.
“Major sources include vehicle emissions, industrial activity, open waste burning, household cooking fuels, dust, and forest fires. Addressing them requires coordinated action across government, institutions, researchers, communities, and development partners.”
Dr Touray stressed that air quality monitoring is the first step to tackling the problem.
“Reliable systems let countries measure harmful pollutants, identify hotspots, and assess whether policies are working,” he said. “Cleaner air also advances climate action and sustainable development.”
The Ministry of Health is already acting. In 2024 it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Permian Health Lung Institute to expand awareness, research, advocacy, capacity building, and technology transfer. As a result, two low-cost air quality monitors are now operational at Fajikunda and Serekunda health centres, with public data available on the institute’s website.
Through the OpenAQ Community Ambassador Programme in 2025, a ministry staff member also completed a capstone project on particulate matter exposure among quarry workers.
He said the ministry is working closely with the NEA to maintain air quality monitors installed across the country and to implement joint initiatives.
“We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to protect the health and wellbeing of Gambians through cleaner air,” Dr Touray said.
The event, held under the theme “United for Clean Air in The Gambia,” brought together stakeholders in air quality monitoring and environmental protection to push for collective action against open waste burning, bushfires, and other sources of pollution.
