Air Pollution and Health Status in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA)

Abstract

Air pollution is projected to be higher in low-income countries most of which are in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) than other parts of the world; yet not many studies provide evidence relating air pollution with health condition in the region.  This paper contributes to empirical literature evidence in this regard by examining the effect of air pollution measured using Carbon dioxide emission (CO₂) on life expectancy and infant mortality rates in the SSA region. The Fixed and Random effects model were fitted to a panel of 44 countries from the period 1960 to 2017. The results suggest that poor air quality contributes to existing low health status in SSA inducing a fall in life expectancy and rise in infant mortality rates. The evidence showed that a 1% increase in CO₂ emission leads to a fall in life expectancy at birth by approximately 1.5 years and increase in infant death by about 0.1 %. Findings indicate that existing poor health outcome in SSA are connected to poor air quality. In the bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on health, there is need for governments in the region to focus on reducing air pollution, particularly in achieving significant fall in infant deaths and improvements in life span.

Keywords: Air pollution, Health Status, Fixed and Random effects model, SSA

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-22-03

Publication date: November 30^th 2019