It is indisputable that between late November to mid-March annually, the reality of harmattan intensifies across the country and other parts of West Africa.
Following the onset of the harmattan season, as indicated by the Ghana Meteorological Agency’s 2023/22024 Harmattan Advisory Update-2, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revealed that the level of dust has increased drastically since December 13, 2023.
This means that during the festive season, it’s important to stay healthy and safe while navigating the Harmattan weather.
The Ghana Report in an exclusive interview with Dr. Pansy Caleb Biya Boadi stationed at the Akuse Government Hospital and Rita Cobbinah, a nurse with one private hospital at Darkuman shed light on some of the healthy ways one can face the harmattan season without any challenge.
Below are some of the ways one can traverse the harmattan season
1. Stay hydrated.
The health experts indicated that one must always stay hydrated, that is, taking in enough water, usually through eating or drinking, to keep the body as active as it should be.
2. Take more Vitamin C.
Individuals are advised to take in enough vitamin C to help boost their immunity and protect them from infection because the harmattan season is characterized by health conditions like unpleasant nasal congestion with a build-up of mucus, usually in the nose, throat, or chest.
3. Keep your skin moisturized.
Keeping the body moisturized during the harmattan season is very necessary, the health experts have revealed.
They explained that there is the need to apply oily pomades like shea butter on the skin to keep it glowing or moisturized during the day.
According to them, shea butter contains, “vitamins A, E, and F that boost the treatment of skin conditions like eczema, dermatitis, and even help in resisting premature ageing.
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“Vitamin A helps skin remain healthy and prevents facial lines and wrinkles.
“Vitamin F also soothes chapped, dry, or rough skin and helps skin to heal “, they added.
4. Use a face mask when necessary.
The health experts urged individuals to use face masks when necessary due to the high level of dust.
They entreated vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, children, pregnant women, people with asthma and related allergies, and any other persons with underlying health conditions to reduce outdoor activities where necessary and not to forget to always use their face masks due to their condition.
5. Dust your home regularly.
Families are to ensure they dust their homes regularly with face masks on and should not always forget to sprinkle water on dusty surfaces before sweeping to reduce dust emissions.
6. Avoid burning trash to prevent fire outbreaks.
Moreover, families are encouraged to avoid burning unwanted items at home to prevent fire outbreaks during this dry season.
7. Reduce speed to prevent accidents
Authorities like the Ghana Meteorological Agency earlier issued a warning to motorists to be cautious while driving as the harmattan intensifies.
According to the Head of Forecasting at the agency, Joseph Portuphy, due to the intensity, drivers across the country must reduce speed to prevent accidents this season.
“The worst of the season is yet to come. This is just the preliminaries because visibility has not dropped yet. We will get to a time when visibility will drop to 700 meters, so drivers must be very cautious.
“We expect a lot of fog in the morning, and when you get fog, you cannot see ahead of you. So, this is the time we should be using our fog lights in the morning and also reduce your speed so that when there is an object ahead of you, you can easily avoid it,” he said.
The Agency also advised farmers to be very conscious when burning bushes to avoid fire outbreaks during the harmattan season.