By Joyce Ojanji

With air pollution being a major cause of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), contributing up to a third of deaths in Uganda, according to the World Health Organization  (WHO), air quality monitors powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are being deployed in Uganda’s capital city to drive down pollution-related illnesses, especially among vulnerable populations.

Kampala currently ranks among Africa’s most polluted cities, according to the IQAir index, with average levels of particulate matter almost eight times higher than those recommended by WHO.

According to estimates, there were more than 7,250 air pollution-related deaths in the city over the last four years.

The mounting problem, fuelled by rapid urban growth and rising numbers of vehicle users, prompted Ugandan authorities to install more than 65 sensors, each costing US$150, throughout Kampala.

Alex Ndyabakira, head of air quality monitoring at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA),notes that the technology, put into action for the first time this month, uses an AI Air Quality Index with colour-coding to identify the most polluted areas easily.

‘’ Unfortunately, five million people are at risk. But with real time data, we can now make quick decisios after seeing which areas have poor quality air,’’ he adds.

The system, according to Ndyabakira, has already triggered several targeted interventions, including traffic management policies and public health initiatives.

“We have advocated for the use of a train in the Eastern route, which was highly polluted during the morning and evening, to reduce the emissions from cars on that route,” said Ndyabakira.

In other efforts to clean up its act, the city has also implemented laws prohibiting smoking in public places and is encouraging the use of renewable energy, especially for cooking.

Additionally , Frank Mugabe, NCDs’ officer at Uganda’s Ministry of Health says that here had been a significant number of hospital admissions for NCDs in the past year, including cases of diabetes, asthma in children, and heart conditions. This is why Uganda exploring all possible measures to address this public health threat, acting now with informed data.

The 2024 air pollution index of selected cities in Africa highlighted Egypt, Ghana and Nigeria as the most polluted countries in Africa, reflecting a growing crisis across the continent.

Sumi Mehta, vice president of climate and environmental health at Vital Strategies, an international non-profit that works with governments to improve health policies, said 90 per cent of people in Sub-African breathe unhealthy air.

“They are at risk of heart diseases, asthma, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases,” she said, adding that the most polluting sectors in Africa are household energy, transport, solid waste and land use.

Until recently, limited data on air quality in Sub-Saharan Africa, meant that clean air had not been prioritised as a public health concern, says Mehta.

“This is a major and emerging public health challenge, but with technological advancement and innovation, air quality monitoring is no longer expensive and cumbersome,” she added.

Mehta said Kampala’s approach to tackling air pollution replicates initiatives in other cities like Jakarta in Indonesia, Fortaleza in Brazil, and Bucharest in Romania, which are investing in clean air for both health and climate benefits.