Air pollution is responsible for 7.1% of deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a study published on Sept 8 by the World Bank and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
Entitled “The cost of air pollution: Strengthening the economic case for action”, the study reveals that 605,000 of deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in 2013 are caused by air pollution. In East Asia and the Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East & North Africa, Central Europe and North America, air pollution is responsible for 14.4%, 13.7%, 6.8%, 5.4% and 3.4% of deaths, respectively.
Worldwide, air pollution killed 2.9 million people in 2013, according to data recently released in the study. Combined with the effects of pollution in homes, knowingly those resulting from using solid fuel for heating and cooking, the number of deaths totals 5.5 million. Air pollution thus became the fourth cause of premature deaths in the world.
Regarding age range concerned, it is the children and elderly that are most fragile. Indeed, according to the study, air pollution is responsible for 5% of deaths of kid less than 5 years and 10% of deaths of people above 50.
Mortality rate related to air pollution is greater for men (85 out of 100,000) than women (68 out of 100,000).