ABSTRACT: – Health is undeniably diligently associated with economic and sustainable advancement whereby raising life expectancy of a new born by 10% increases the economic progress by 0.35% annually. In developing countries nearly 29,000 children below five-years die per day. Although there has been progress with respect to child mortality rates in Kenya which have decreased from 96.6 in 1970 to 30.6 per 1,000 live births in 2018, this value remains below the Sustainable Development Goals target of below 25 for every 1000 live births by 2030.The specific objectives was to determine the effect of air pollution on under-five years’ mortality rate in Kenya. This study was based on the Grossman health demand model. The study employed correlational research design to establish the relationship between study variables. Time series data for a period of 49 years from 1970 to 2018 was collected from World Bank Development indicators using a data collection sheet. Inferential data analysis techniques that include unit root test, correlation analysis and Granger causality were used to establish short-run and long-run effect of air pollution on under-five years’ mortality rate in Kenya. The unit root test indicated that the variables of interest were stationary. The correlation analysis established a positive association between under-five years mortality rate and air pollution. The Johansen cointegration established a long run relationship among the variables of under-five years mortality rate and air pollution with coefficient of 12.007 such that a unit increase in air pollution by 1metric ton of CO2 increases mortality by approximately 12 deaths per 1000 live births. Vector error correction in the short-run indicated that previous year’s air pollution does not significantly affect under-five years’ mortality rate in Kenya. Granger causality test results showed a unidirectional causality from air pollution to under-five years mortality rate. In conclusion, air pollution affects under five years’ mortality rate in Kenya. The study therefore recommends that the government of Kenya should ensure full implementation of enacted national air quality by targeting activities aimed at cutting down on the metric tons of CO2 per capita emitted into the air. The research findings form useful material of knowledge to academia by expanding on existing literature and provide information to policy makers in identifying what needs to be done to reduce the burden of under-five years’ mortality rate in Kenya.

Keywords: impact of air pollution and health expenditure on under-five years’ mortality rate in Kenya