A snippet from the Improving Air Quality and Promoting Public Health – presentation by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)-funded CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Group, delivered at the Science-Policy Practitioners Dialogue, Nairobi, July 21, 2025.
In Kenya, the simple act of preparing a meal is exacting a heavy toll on health, on forests, and on the climate.
For millions of families and schools, cooking with wood, charcoal, or crop waste releases toxic fumes that linger in kitchens, classrooms, and lungs.
But as outlined in a presentation delivered at the Science-Policy Practitioners Dialogue held in Nairobi on July 21, 2025, practical and scalable solutions are already reshaping this narrative.
Titled Improving Air Quality and Promoting Public Health, the presentation focused on the urgent challenge of household air pollution in Kenya.
It also outlined the policy solutions and community-driven interventions now taking root across the country, backed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)-funded CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Group.
The Problem: A Toxic Dependency
Globally, more than one-third of the population still depends on polluting fuels like wood, charcoal, coal, and agricultural waste for cooking and heating.
These fuels, when burned, release dangerous pollutants — including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide that are linked to respiratory disease, cardiovascular illness, and early death.
According to the presentation, household air pollution (HAP) contributes to 3.2 million deaths worldwide every year.
In Kenya, 76% of households cook with polluting fuels, resulting in 26,300 premature deaths annually and the loss of over one million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs).
The problem extends into schools, where over 97% rely on polluting fuels.
Boarding schools alone may consume 200 to 500 tonnes of firewood each year, leading to deforestation and exposing both learners and staff to toxic smoke.
Interruptions in fuel supply directly affect school feeding programs — and by extension, attendance and learning outcomes.
The Response: Data, Technology, and Grassroots Innovation
The CLEAN-Air(Africa) research group is translating this public health challenge into a multi-sector policy opportunity.
At the core of its approach is robust measurement technology, deployed to collect real-time, localized data on air pollution in homes and schools.
These include:
- UPAS V2+ samplers (for PM2.5, CO₂, NOx)
- LASCAR monitors (carbon monoxide)
- PurpleAir II sensors (PM1, 2.5, and 10)
- MicroAeth MA200 (black carbon)
- Geocene Dots (to track stove usage)
This evidence base is further strengthened by a 2024–2025 nationwide baseline study examining indoor air quality, stove usage, and health-related outcomes.
By pinpointing sources and patterns of exposure, the data is driving better-targeted interventions.
One such intervention is the shift from biomass to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves in informal settlement schools.
The presentation shared that LPG use reduces cooking time, air pollution exposure, and cost volatility, directly benefiting learners and staff while reducing pressure on forest resources.
Community-Led Action: CHAP-PP and TABLE-HAP
Beyond technology, the response is rooted in community engagement.
CLEAN-Air(Africa)’s Community Health Household Air Pollution Prevention Programme (CHAP-PP) has been integrated into Kenya’s national training curriculum for Community Health Promoters (CHPs).
Through this platform, CHPs are educating households on the health effects of HAP and offering cleaner alternatives.
Meanwhile, the TABLE-HAP initiative (Table Banking Led Education on Household Air Pollution) builds on existing women’s table banking groups.
Piloted in Uasin Gishu and Narok counties, this model links peer-led savings groups with structured education on clean energy.
Households participating in these groups have shown greater willingness to adopt LPG and other safer cooking technologies, illustrating the power of pairing financial empowerment with environmental health.
From Evidence to Policy
A major strength of the CLEAN-Air(Africa) initiative, as highlighted in the presentation, is its policy integration.
Findings from its fieldwork and studies have fed directly into national frameworks, including:
- Kenya Climate Change & Health Strategy 2024–2029Africa CDC Climate Change & Health Strategy, launched in July 2025
- Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy 2024–2028
- National Baseline on Household Energy & Indoor Air Quality (Ministry of Environment)
In addition, the group actively participates in the Ministry of Health’s Technical Working Groups (TWGs) on Air Pollution, Energy and Health, and Climate Change and Health.
This helped to ensure that decisions on energy transitions are informed by local data and health evidence.
The presentation also highlighted new professional training programs, including Health Impact Assessment courses (aligned with the Health Act 2017) and media-focused workshops on public health communication.
All are aimed at translating science into broad public understanding and action.
What’s Working — Early Signs of Impact
The presentation offered several indicators that current strategies are producing results:
Cleaner school environments: Schools that switched to LPG report lower PM2.5 levels and fewer respiratory issues among students and staff.
Improved community awareness: CHAP-PP and TABLE-HAP have increased public understanding of the risks of traditional fuels and the benefits of clean energy.
Behavior change through peer networks: Table banking groups are actively supporting clean cooking adoption through collective savings, shared knowledge, and social accountability.
Data guiding national policy: Sensor data from households and schools is directly informing Kenya’s climate and health strategies.
Cross-sectoral momentum: Ministries of Health, Energy, Environment, and Education are coordinating on air quality goals, supported by evidence and multi-actor platforms.
Looking Ahead: Building Urban Resilience
To sustain and scale these gains, the presentation identified several forward-looking priorities for Nairobi and other cities:
- Expand low-cost sensor deployment in public institutions
- Develop integrated data-sharing platforms across sectors
- Adopt city-wide air quality alerts as public communication tools
- Invest in early warning systems that link environmental data to health responses
- Support clean energy access with financial incentives and community engagement
This forward path underscores a central message: addressing household air pollution is no longer a technical challenge alone.
It is a question of political will, public investment, and sustained community leadership.
Conclusion: From Smoke to Solutions
The presentation delivered at the July 2025 Science-Policy Dialogue illustrates a hopeful truth: Kenya’s household energy crisis is not intractable.
With data-informed policy, cross-sector collaboration, and citizen-led education, the country is turning its kitchens and schools into spaces of resilience, not risk.
Solutions are not only possible — they are already underway.
Source: Improving Air Quality and Promoting Public Health – presentation by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)-funded CLEAN-Air(Africa) Global Health Research Group, delivered at the Science-Policy Practitioners Dialogue, Nairobi, July 21, 2025.
