As a result of increasing in population, personal vehicles, industrial zones and household emission, the air quality in Hanoi is becoming deteriorated and affecting human health. There is a gap in research on the relationship between air pollution and human health and involvement of policy makers in these issues. This paper reviews all research related to air pollution in Hanoi as well as briefs on the current situation of the local air pollution, in which large attention will be paid to emission source and the legal framework for air quality in Hanoi. We focus on filling the gap in previous evaluations on impact of air pollution on human health and the collaboration between researchers and policy makers in monitoring air quality and protecting human health. From the lessons learned in other countries and the previous studies in Vietnam, we recommend using risk assessment as a tool to analyze the relationship between air pollution and human health to inform policy.