Urban Air Quality Improvement Programmes and Their Impact on Children's Respiratory Health in Lagos, Nigeria: A Three-Month Monitoring Study

Urban air quality in Lagos, Nigeria is known to be poor due to high vehicular emissions and industrial activities. A stratified random sampling method was employed to select 120 children under 10 years old from different socio-economic backgrounds in Lagos. Respiratory symptom frequency and severity were recorded weekly using validated questionnaires. During the monitoring period, there was a statistically significant reduction ($p < 0.05$) in respiratory symptoms among children exposed to improved air quality compared to those in control areas (92% vs 84%, confidence interval: -13% to -6%). The urban air quality improvement programmes demonstrated a positive impact on reducing respiratory health issues among young children. Further studies should be conducted to assess the long-term effects and potential cost-benefit analysis of such initiatives. Urban Air Quality, Respiratory Health, Children, Lagos, Nigeria