intelligent

Oumar Kante , a Marketing Strategist from Côte d ’ Ivoire , discusses how the democratisation of environmental data is a crucial issue for public health .

The current situation in Côte d ’ Ivoire

A survey carried out at the Institut Pasteur and the Treichville University Hospital revealed that the available data is not totally reliable and represents only a point estimate . At present , no one can state with certainty that a given number of illnesses or deaths are directly caused by air pollution in Côte d ’ Ivoire . The main reason for this uncertainty is the almost total absence of data on air quality . For example , the city of Abidjan has only one reference sensor capable of providing real-time information on air quality . In reality , around 60 are needed to create an effective network .

The authorities ’ financial challenges

Government and ministerial authorities are aware of this situation , but are unable to react effectively due to budgetary constraints . The Chief of Staff of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development has urged the private sector to come to the government ’ s aid . A lack of financial resources hampers its ability to carry out proper air quality monitoring .

The data354 initiative

Faced with this problem , data354 , for which I worked as project manager , launched the very first initiative to develop an open data platform to measure and disseminate air quality in Côte d ’ Ivoire . This ambitious project aims to fill the data gap and provide a solid basis for developing effective environmental policies .

My main task was to find partnerships and funding to bring this project to fruition – we were then able to mobilise the resources needed to develop and deploy our sensor network .

The democratisation of data

The democratisation of data is essential to enable transparent and participatory management of air quality . By making data accessible to the public , we can raise awareness of the dangers of air pollution and encourage concrete action to improve it . What ’ s more , open data enables researchers , businesses and decision-makers to work together more effectively to develop innovative solutions .

The data354 open data platform has already begun to produce promising results . The initial data provided has been shared with the authorities and researchers and has led to a better understanding of pollution levels in certain areas of Abidjan . The democratisation of environmental data is a crucial issue for public health and sustainable development . SMEs , with their agility and capacity for innovation , have an essential role to play in this process . �