Fighting Air Pollution in Mexico City and São Paulo

(July 2007) Mexico City has some of the worst air pollution in the world. The city’s residents lose 2.5 million working days a year to health problems caused by particle matter, such as soot. Other Latin American capitals such as São Paulo, also rank among the world’s worst in terms of outdoor air pollution. Because increases in respiratory and cardiovascular illness and death have been linked to major air pollution, cities are taking steps to clear the air. To learn more about how these megacities have reduced air pollution levels with new policies and relatively simple technological fixes, go to: www.dcp2.org/features/47.

The Disease Control Priorities Project (DCPP) is an ongoing effort to assess disease control priorities and produce evidence-based analysis and resource materials to inform health policymaking in developing countries. DCPP has produced three volumes providing technical resources that can assist developing countries in improving their health systems and ultimately, the health of their people.