On 30 November we launched and unpacked our new policy brief, ‘From Pollution to Solution in Six African Cities’. On the sidelines of the annual International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) in Zambia, Clean Air Fund co-hosted a panel discussion in partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Poor air quality harms people, planet and economy. Left unchecked, air pollution could collectively cost Accra, Cairo, Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi and Yaoundé an estimated 8% of their current combined GDPs by 2040. Our new policy brief is an update from our 2022 report, From Pollution to Solution in Africa’s Cities. It lays out recommendations for governments to adopt clean air measures to enable green urban economic growth. Compiled by Dalberg Advisors, it takes a sample of six large and fast-expanding African cities and showcases the social, economic and financial benefits of clean air action.
Air pollution is Africa’s silent killer. Each year, toxic air kills more Africans than unsafe water and sanitation combined. This problem is worse in cities, where highly polluting activities threatens public health and the economy. Toxic air disproportionately affects the most vulnerable and addressing it will help to reduce health inequalities and the consequent burden on public health systems.
Moderator
Dr Benjamin Djoudalbaye
Head of Policy, Health Diplomacy and Communication at Africa CDC
Dr Benjamin Djoudalbaye is Head of Policy, Health Diplomacy and Communication at Africa CDC. Africa CDC, a health agency under the African Union, is set up to support public health initiatives of member states across the continent. They strive to strengthen the capacity of their public health institutions to detect, prevent, control and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats. Prior to joining Africa CDC, he was a Senior Health Officer for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other Infectious Diseases at the African Union Commission for more than eight years. Before then he worked for the International SOS, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Chad and SOLTHIS.
Speakers
Dr Ahmed Ogwell Ouma
Acting Deputy Director General
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
Dr Ouma is an accomplished civil servant and an expert in global health with expertise in governance in public health, partnerships and resource mobilisation, health security including health emergencies, the prevention and control of NCDs, building multi-sectoral partnerships, international cooperation across sectors, and more. Dr Ouma has worked globally for public health and has overseen the implementation of country level policies in countries in Africa. He has supported governments in Africa to implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and other international instruments for the prevention and control of NCDs.
Bertrand Assamoi
Associate Partner and Country Director
Dalberg Advisors
Bertrand is an Associate Partner with Dalberg Advisors, where he leverages his advisory experience, management skills and passion for addressing Africa’s development challenges to lead initiatives that can drive the continent’s economic and social progress in areas such as climate change, circular economy, digital economy, private sector development, and education to employment.
Dr Hadley Matendechero Sultani
Deputy Director General for Health
State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards, Kenya
Dr Hadley Matendechero Sultani is the Deputy Director General for Health in the State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards in Kenya. He is also the Vice Chair and Bureau Member for the Africa Region in the WHO Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations. He is also a member of the WHO Advisory Group on STH and Schistosomiasis Control and Elimination and the Chairperson of the Leishmaniasis East Africa Platform Advisory Committee. Prior to his current role in the Ministry of Health in Kenya, he was a consultant clinical pharmacist and before this he was the Head of the Division of Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases and was also the Head of the National Public Health Institute (Kenya CDC).
Morrish Ojok
Country Manager
Amref in South Sudan
Morrish Ojok is the Country Manager for Amref in South Sudan. Amref Health Africa, is an NGO dedicated to improving health in Africa. It focuses on developing sustainable healthcare solutions and building the capacity of communities and health systems across the continent. Amref Health Africa works with a variety of partners, including governments, communities and other NGOs, to address a range of health issues such as maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and noncommunicable diseases. The organisation places a strong emphasis on training and empowering local health workers and communities to create lasting improvements in health outcomes. Amref Health Africa plays a crucial role in advancing health and wellbeing in African communities through its community-centred approach.
Nina Renshaw
Head of Health at Clean Air Fund
Nina has been an advocate for clean air throughout her career and joined Clean Air Fund as Head of Health in Spring 2022. She brings eighteen years of experience of international policy and advocacy in diverse fields, including health, environment, economy, transport and international development. Prior to joining Clean Air Fund, Nina was Director of Policy and Advocacy at the NCD Alliance – a global civil society network headquartered in Geneva – working towards noncommunicable disease prevention and equitable access to healthcare. Nina was previously based in Brussels, where she led the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) as Secretary-General and was Deputy Director of the campaign group Transport & Environment.
