Tunatazama - Community Monitors

Snake Park residents suffer from air pollution.

Tshidi Sebogodi

Air pollution continues to be a challenge and affects all walks of life, especially the residents that live near mine tailings. The effects of this might have little impact but have lasting consequences. This is observed in the alarming numbers of lung-related illnesses among the residents of Snake Park.

Chronic illnesses like shortness of breath and asthma are common in middle-aged and elderly residents. Some have more than 30 years of exposure to this polluted air. This is evident concerning the number of clinic diagnoses. This comes as a surprise to the patients as they do not know how they would have caught these illnesses, and have no choice but to adapt to a new life. 

A 58-year-old woman who would like to remain anonymous is living with asthma and epilepsy, this has made life even more difficult for her because she takes more treatment. Also looking at the X-ray they took at one of her checkups. It is very alarming that a woman who has never smoked and does not drink can have such great tissue damage. And now and then she forgets to take her asthma spray medication because it is such a new thing. In conclusion, that is how air pollution affects the residents and the question now is how long is it going to continue.

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