Civil society organizations with focus on environmental protection and other active NGOs of the network for air quality from all over Albania, attended the 2-day training on the "Impact of air quality on health" organized by the Together for Life Association, partner of Mileukontakt Albania, within the project "Clean air, healthy life".
The project is financed by the Swedish International Cooperation and Development Agency with funds from the Swedish Government, implemented by Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development in cooperation with CISP Sviluppo dei Popoli, VIS Albania and COSV - Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo.
The focus of the training was on achieving outputs and recommendations on initiatives that should be undertaken in the community related to the concerning issues on air quality, and measures to improve the air pollution situation and advocate on air quality protection.
Participant organizations were provided with input from the health expert regarding specific health impacts resulting from air pollution and related risk factors. Also, an important point of the training was the presentation of the methodology of the report to be drafted within the project, related to the impact of air quality on health and how it can be advocated at the decision-making institutions.
During the second day of the training, the participants contributed to interviewing patients of the 2 Health Care Centers in Tirana, to obtain data on the knowledge that the community has on air pollution, the perception on the impact of air quality on health and on the role of national and international decision-makers. These data, together with the data that will be obtained from the other partner organisations, were integrated into the report.
Among the main points highlighted during the training were related to boosting the following initiatives:
- Increasing the knowledge of health workers on air pollution issues of concern;
- Obtaining data on respiratory diseases of patients that could be negatively affected by the polluted air, also based on the anamnesis of the patient;
- The organization of public hearings related to air quality with the main local actors, to evaluate the situation;
- Actions and concrete activities in community related to the improvement of air quality;
- Promotion and education on air quality issues by local and online media, emphasizing the role of community in advocacy.
