Yero S. Bah

Story: The story highlights how **air pollution in The Gambia has become a severe but overlooked health crisis**, ranking among the leading causes of death and disability and contributing to widespread chronic illnesses. Despite having some of the **highest PM2.5 levels in Africa**, the country lacks air quality standards and monitoring infrastructure, making the problem harder to address. A new **Clean Air Initiative**, led by the Permian Health Lung Institute with local and international partners, is filling this gap by deploying sensors, collecting millions of data points, and pushing for policies to protect public health.

Published in: October 15, 2025