Study Links Pollution in Nairobi to Rising Asthma Cases

A new study conducted in Nairobi has drawn a strong connection between air pollution and the growing incidence of asthma, particularly among children in informal settlements. Researchers from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and partner institutions found that emissions from traffic, refuse burning, and household sources are contributing to poor air quality in Nairobi, which in turn appears to worsen respiratory health. According to the KEMRI report, higher exposure to pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) correlates with increasing wheezing symptoms and lung problems in young residents.
In one striking component of the research, scientists compared schoolchildren from Mukuru, a densely populated informal settlement, with those from Buruburu, a more affluent Nairobi neighborhood. Children in Mukuru reported more frequent wheezing (9.5% vs. 6.4%) and difficulty breathing (16.3% vs. 12.6%), despite being less likely to have a formal asthma diagnosis.The study also revealed that exposure sources included refuse burning, proximity to busy roads, household smoking, and mosquito coil use.
Health experts in Kenya say the findings reflect larger environmental health challenges. Dr. Justus Simba, a paediatric specialist, warned that constant exposure to dirty air damages children’s lung linings and raises their vulnerability to chronic respiratory illnesses.Meanwhile, county and national authorities are accelerating efforts to monitor air quality more closely: two new air‑monitoring stations have begun operating at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and near the Nairobi Fire Station, collecting real‑time data on pollutants from traffic and waste-burning.
Looking ahead, the study’s authors and health advocates are calling for policy action. They recommend stricter vehicle emissions standards, enforcement against illegal burning of waste, and improvements in housing and ventilation in informal settlements. There is also pressure to scale up healthcare screenings in pollution hotspots and to expand public awareness campaigns on how air pollution affects lung health in Kenya.