Ambient air pollution and health in Accra, Ghana

This report shows situation of ambient air pollution in Accra, Ghana and its implications to public health. For the health risk assessment, values collected and modelled reveal that (1) for the city of Accra: PM2.5 average concentration levels equal to 49.5 μg/m3, from residential monitoring stations in 2014–2015; and (2) for the whole Greater Accra region: PM2.5 average equal to 36.0 μg/m3, from satellite data from 2014 and 2015. These levels of air pollution are a burden on the health of the population. In the report, different scenarios are modelled and explored to reduce current PM2.5 levels to reach WHO Air quality guidelines and interim targets. The estimates of the impacts of air pollution, for example potentially prevented yearly mortality is approximately 1790 deaths if WHO AQG is reached, provide significant arguments for implementing policies that reduce air pollution emissions in Accra.