BLAZE PROJECT LAUNCHES AIR QUALITY MONITORING TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE
- Nercio Machele
- May 29
- 3 min read
As part of the BLAZE project (Building an open-air quality ecosystem in Mozambique), the Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM) is installing air quality monitoring stations in health facilities across Maputo City and Province. Funded by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), the initiative aims to establish a national open-data ecosystem on air quality, with a focus on fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
At a time when air pollution levels continue to raise concerns among researchers and health professionals, the project seeks to generate scientific evidence on air quality in both urban and rural settings, contributing to public awareness and the development of more effective environmental policies.
Under the BLAZE initiative, nine low-cost monitors have been installed in nine health facilities, including Matola Provincial Hospital, Machava General Hospital, Xinavane Rural Hospital, José Macamo General Hospital, and Xipamanine Health Centre. Two reference monitors have also been installed in Manhiça and at the Eduardo Mondlane University campus in Maputo.
According to Hermínio Cossa, Principal Investigator of the project at CISM, the sites were selected due to their high population density and intense economic and industrial activity, factors often associated with deteriorating air quality and increased exposure of communities to air pollution.
Preliminary data show a concerning scenario. “Pollution levels range from high to moderate, indicating polluted environments and, in most cases, air that is unsafe to breathe,” explained Hermínio Cossa.
"Is not only about air quality — we can also monitor humidity and temperature"
For health professionals working closely with communities, the equipment represents an important opportunity to strengthen environmental surveillance and public education. According to Elton Tchauque, a health technician at Moamba Health Centre, the installation of the meteorological station comes at the right time.
“It is very good to have an air quality monitoring station here. This one is even more comprehensive. It is not only about air quality — we can also monitor humidity and temperature,” he said.
The technician also highlighted that human activities such as sand and stone extraction, uncontrolled bush burning, and deforestation have a direct impact on air quality and local environmental conditions. “The dust generated by these activities affects the quality of the air we breathe,” he warned.
In addition to data collection, the project team aims to strengthen community awareness about the risks of air pollution. “We want the population to have access to information and understand how air quality affects health and the environment,” explained Elton Tchauque.
For Hermínio Cossa, the project could contribute to concrete changes in the country. “It is expected that people and decision-makers will better understand the magnitude of air pollution and take practical actions that contribute to cleaner air, including emission control policies and measures to protect public health,” he concluded.
The data collected will be shared freely through open-access and real-time platforms, helping to support the revision of national policies and standards, strengthen environmental enforcement, and encourage behavioural changes that reduce people’s exposure to harmful pollutants.
The initiative also includes the participation of researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), in a collaboration aimed at strengthening the production and availability of air pollution data in Mozambique. Currently, routine monitoring of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the country remains limited and fragmented, making it difficult to accurately assess the impacts of air pollution on public health.
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