Air pollution 'silent killer' in African cities: study

In sub-Saharan Africa, the rate of deaths linked to air pollution is 155 deaths for every 100,000 people – almost twice the global average of 85.6 deaths in 100,000 people. Photo: AFP

Pollution in Africa's fast-expanding cities is deadlier than thought, yet green solutions could save tens of thousands of lives and avert billions of dollars in damage, a report said Oct 27.

"Air pollution (in African cities) is high and rising, it's rising pretty quickly," said Desmond Appiah, Ghana director at the Clean Air Fund, a British NGO which published the study. "It is a silent killer."