The harmattan is here. The mornings are cold, the air is hazy with dust, your lips are cracking and everyone around you seems to have catarrh. For many Ghanaians it is a welcome break from the heat, but the dry, dusty season also brings real health risks, from asthma attacks to dehydration. Here is everything you need to know to protect yourself and your family.

What is the harmattan?

The harmattan is a dry, dusty wind that blows from the Sahara Desert across West Africa. In Ghana it is usually felt from around late November to March, arriving first and strongest in the northern regions before spreading south. It brings very low humidity, hazy skies, cold nights and mornings, and hot afternoons.

The timing and strength change from year to year. The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) issues advisories when dust levels rise. During one dust spell in February 2026, for example, it warned that visibility in parts of the north could drop to between 1 and 6 kilometres. Follow GMet's updates on radio, TV and its website for your area.

How the harmattan affects your health

The Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service have warned that the season can cause or worsen several health problems:

• Dry, cracked skin and lips. The dry air pulls moisture from your skin, causing itching, peeling, cracked heels and painful lips.
• Coughs, catarrh and chest infections. Dust irritates the nose, throat and airways, making respiratory infections more common.
• Asthma attacks. Dust and cold air are common triggers for people with asthma and other breathing conditions.
• Eye irritation. Dust and dryness cause red, itchy, watery eyes, and rubbing them can lead to infection.
• Nosebleeds. Very dry air can crack the delicate lining of the nose.
• Dehydration. You lose water through your skin and breath without noticing, and many people drink less because the weather feels cool.
• Meningitis. The dry season is also meningitis season, especially in the northern regions. Know the warning signs (see our full guide linked below).

Who is most at risk?

Everyone feels the harmattan, but some people need extra care:

• People with asthma or other breathing problems. Keep your inhaler or medication with you at all times, and limit time outdoors on very dusty days.
• People living with sickle cell disease. Cold weather and dehydration are known triggers of painful sickle cell crises. Stay warm, drink plenty of water and keep up with your clinic visits.
• Babies and young children. They dehydrate quickly and feel the cold more. Dress them warmly in the mornings and evenings, and keep giving fluids.
• Older adults. They may not feel thirsty even when dehydrated and are more prone to chest infections.
• Okada riders, drivers and outdoor workers. They face the most dust, and low visibility increases the risk of road accidents.

10 ways to stay healthy this harmattan

1. Drink plenty of water, even when you don't feel thirsty. Carry a bottle with you.
2. Moisturise your skin and lips. Oil-based products such as shea butter work well. Apply after bathing while the skin is still slightly damp, and use lip balm or shea butter on your lips.
3. Wear a nose mask in dusty places, on okadas and when sweeping. People with asthma should wear one whenever they are outdoors on dusty days.
4. Protect your eyes. Wear sunglasses or clear glasses outdoors, and avoid rubbing your eyes or touching your face with dusty hands.
5. Keep warm at night and early morning. Wear a sweater, socks and use a blanket, especially for children, older people and anyone with sickle cell disease.
6. Eat water-rich foods such as watermelon, oranges, cucumber and light soups.
7. Cover your food and water. Keep water containers, cooked food and items on sale covered to keep dust out.
8. Be careful with fire. Dry grass and strong winds mean a small spark can become a big fire. Do not burn rubbish or bush carelessly, and never leave cooking fires unattended.
9. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Dust carries germs.
10. Drive carefully. Slow down and turn on your headlights when the haze is thick, especially in the early morning and evening.

🏥 When to see a doctor: Go to the nearest health facility if you or a family member has difficulty breathing, an asthma attack that does not improve with your inhaler, a high fever, a nosebleed that will not stop, severe pain in someone with sickle cell disease, or fever with a stiff neck or confusion, which could be meningitis.

Simple home habits that help

A few small changes around the house make a big difference. Keep windows closed during the dustiest hours, usually early morning and windy afternoons, but open them when the air is clearer so rooms stay ventilated. Damp-mop floors instead of dry sweeping, which throws dust back into the air. Place a bowl of water in your sleeping room to add a little moisture to the air. Shake out bedsheets and wash them more often.

The bottom line

The harmattan does not have to make you sick. Drink water, moisturise, cover your nose and eyes from the dust, keep warm at night, and pay special attention to children, older people and anyone with asthma or sickle cell disease. If symptoms become serious, do not wait. See a health worker early.

Read also: Meningitis Killed 18 in Upper West Last Year, Health Officials Say: What Every Family Must Know

Graphics: Beyond Clinics.

This article is for health education and does not replace advice from a doctor or nurse. If you are worried about your health, visit your nearest health facility.

Sources

• Ghanaian Times. Take necessary precautions on harmattan to stay healthy, MoH advises citizens (December 2025).
• Ghana Meteorological Agency. Harmattan advisory: dry and dusty weather expected over northern Ghana (February 2026).
• Rainbow Radio Online. GMet cautions public on fire outbreaks, allergic risks as harmattan begins (December 2025).