When dispatch rider Efo Pascal recently returned to Accra on his motorbike from one of his delivery rounds, he came back with a dusty black sweater and helmet. 

“Since the whole of last week and this week, the dust is too much, and it is really bad. This is my first delivery today yet, see how dirty I look,” he said.

Ghana is in the grip of this year's harmattan season — characterized by dry, dusty winds between the end of November through March — as winds from the Sahara desert reach West Africa.

Since December, the skyline in Accra has been hazy with excessive dust flying in the air.

Air quality levels have been bad in Accra since December as harmattan season kicks in across Ghana. The data coming in shows the situation is not improving.

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Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman/The World

Last week, Accra's air quality was labeled hazardous by the Ghana Meteorological Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency and other air quality monitoring platforms. The harmattan season is not new to Ghana, but experts say climate change is intensifying these harsh weather conditions and leading to increased health hazards. 

Pascal said that driving at night has become dangerous due to visibility problems. And his health, too, is taking a hit. He said he’s already been to the hospital twice in the past two weeks due to breathing problems. 

“Breathing was really hard for me, especially at night."

“Breathing was really hard for me, especially at night. I had pains in my chest, and I was coughing,” he said as he pulled medicine out of his pocket. “The doctor said I had some infections from the air. That’s why they gave me antibiotics,” he said.

Yet he still struggles with his breathing. 

Last August, a team of scientists published new research indicating a substantial correlation between air pollution and antibiotic resistance, resulting in about 480,000 premature deaths in 2018.

Pascal said he fears his health may deteriorate. And he’s not the only one. 

Patience Denu, a teacher at the Fountain Basic School in Accra, said the current dry weather is making some children sick. Inside the school courtyard, children usually run around or chat with friends during recess — but the weather is taking a toll. 

“They [the children] are always complaining of headaches."

“Their faces, all dry, their lips are breaking and all that. Because of that, they are always like, ‘My head…I’m feeling tired…’ They are always complaining of headaches,” she said.

Patience Denu is a teacher at Fountain Basic School in Accra, Ghana.  

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Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman/The World

Denu said the situation is making schoolwork tedious. When the children don’t feel well, she said the children have to spend a few days at home. The school may shut down if the situation does not improve, she added. 

Emmanuel Osei Waziri is dropping off his children at school. He said he’s concerned about Accra’s worsening air quality.

Emmanuel Osei Waziri, who recently dropped off his children at school, said he’s worried. 

“The dust is everywhere, and it's hard to shield them from it. How do I even tell if it is not already affecting their lungs? We are still monitoring whether we may have to keep them at home for some time until the air becomes normal,” he said.

Surge in respiratory illnesses

Some hospitals are now seeing a surge in respiratory tract infections among children.

At the Child Health Emergency unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Mabel Okine said her 2-year-old has been coughing excessively and having breathing difficulties in the last two weeks.

“This is the third time I am bringing her to the hospital. We have tried prescriptions and even home remedies, but she is still not getting better. I sell water by the road and usually strap her on my back. So I think the air has entered her system,” she said.

Pediatrician Dr. Frank Owusu Sekeyere said they are recording 30 respiratory tract infection cases per day compared to just six cases every two months before the harmattan season started. 

“So, the children are coming in with either a runny nose or they are snorty, coryza [acute mucous] and then, they are also coughing. And then sometimes, they also come with signs of respiratory tract infections."

“So, the children are coming in with either a runny nose, or they are snorty, coryza [acute mucous], and then, they are also coughing. And then sometimes, they also come with signs of respiratory tract infections. What we also see is that fine particles in the air are worsening preexisting conditions. The situation is quite disturbing,” he said.

'Health effects of climate change are very real'

Accra now sits alongside Delhi, in India, as one of the most highly polluted cities in the world. The fastest-growing African city of 4 million people sees a daily influx of 2.5 million business commuters. And the city is already grappling with the effects of climate change due to rapid urbanization and industrialization.

Selina Amoah, head of environmental quality at the EPA, said this year’s harmattan season is worse than years prior. 

“From our monitoring locations along the roadside, we realized that the pollution levels are high — and this is largely due to climate change. Rising temperatures, changing wind patterns, and increased desertification have all contributed to the severity of the weather,” she said.

Selina Amoah is head of environmental quality at the Environmental Protection Agency in Ghana. 

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Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman/The World

The expansion of desert areas has led to an increase in dust that is then carried by the harmattan winds. 

Amoah said climate change can influence the intensity and duration of the harmattan season, potentially leading to more severe dust storms or altered patterns of dust transport. This can also have a detrimental impact on air quality.

“The only thing we can do now is to take precautions to stay safe."

“The only thing we can do now is to take precautions