Pollution Risk Accumulation from Households in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania

Today, more than half of the worlds& #039, population lives in cities, in which one third reside in informal settlements, under conditions of constrained services and infrastructure. Consequently many of them are exposed to a wide range of health risks. The aim of this qualitative study was to assess the factors that pose health risks to the urban dwellers in the informal settlements of Dar-Es-Salaam. To achieve this aim the study focused on the assessment of conditions of the informal urban living environment, that if not managed can pose a health risk to the urban dwellers. The urban environment factors that were assessed includes housing water supply, solid waste, drainage system, road access and waste water sewage. Mnazi Mmoja and Midizini sub wards in Dar-Es-Salaam were used as case study. The data was collected with the aid of semi structured interviews, focus group discussions, observations and literature review, and was analysed qualitatively. The diseases that were found to be predominant in Mnazi Mmoja and Midizini Sub-wards are, Malaria, Cholera, Diarrhoeal and Typhoid. The factors that present health risk in the case study areas were found to be Use of unsafe water because of limited access to safe water supply, Pilling up of solid waste due to inadequate waste handling and collection, Poor housing condition including overcrowding, Indoor smoke from cooking and filthy external surrounding, Stagnant water on storm drains due to waste accumulation that leads to blockage, Narrow and inaccessible part during emergency services. These factors were driven mainly due to absence of proper urban planning that leads to proliferation of informal settlements following rapid urban population growth, but unmatched and slow expansion of infrastructure and housing. It is important for the government to take measures in planning and advocating the upgrading of these informal settlements through more participatory approach by including residents of these settlements.