Harmattan and Your Health - By Dr Emmanuel Toochukwu

The climate, of all the environmental factors, is the most important, affecting health indirectly through its influence on plants,
animals, insects and microbes, and directly by taxing the body’s physiological reserves. It controls the growth and distribution of
microbes and insects that may transmit them or may act as pests. Thus wealth, nutrition, education and development, and their
interaction with health, depend to a large extent on climate. Harmattan according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the
English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000, may have originated from the Arabic word: HARAM, which literally means; the evil thing.
This origin may not be unconnected with the adverse effect of this weather especially in the Sahara. The Harmattan is a dry and
dusty wind blowing northeast and west off the Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between November and March(normally) . It is
considered a 'Natural Hazard'. On its passage over the desert it picks up fine dust particles to neighbouring countries, including
Nigeria. The effect caused by the dust and sand stirred by these winds is known as the Harmattan Haze, and costs airlines millions
in cancelled and diverted flights each year.
The Harmattan, despite its adverse health effects, is not without some health benefits to man. For example, the low temperature
associated with
it is unfavourable for breeding of mosquitoes thus reducing the incidence of malaria.
The eyes are directly exposed to the harsh weather especially the dust particles carried by the wind. Thus itching, foreign body
sensation and redness
may be common especially in individuals with allergic eye disease. Proper eye hygiene in form of washing with clean water, reduce
exposure to dust and protective spectacles, are advocated. The respiratory system, because of its direct communication with the
atmosphere, is heavily and badly affected. The respiratory tract has got a defensive mechanism that stops harmful particles in the
air from getting to the lungs. This defense may however be overwhelmed by the concentration of the pollutants in the atmosphere,
depending on the health status of a person
or owing to a small sized particles that escape entrapment. The resultant effect is damage to the system predisposing to infection.
Excessive sneezing, cough and catarrh are some of the symptoms common to most people. The Harmattan period is not the best of
weathers for people with pre existing chronic chest infection. Worthy of mention
is Asthma, a chronic (long- term) disease that makes it hard to breathe due inflammatory congestion in the lower respiratory tract.
These groups of patients should pay special attention to their health, taking all possible and practicable measures to reduce exposure
to the dusty atmosphere in addition to having their inhaler with them all the time. The epidemic of meningococcal meningitis usually
experience between February to May in the ‘meningitis belt’, northern Nigeria inclusive, is an aftermath of Harmattan. The dry, cold
and dusty wind associated with Harmattan also triggers sickle cell crises in affected individuals. Sickle cell anaemia to recall is a
genetic
disease in which the red blood cells become sickle under a condition of low oxygen tension leading to blockage of small blood vessels.
The reduced blood supply to the tissues results in pain especially from the bones. The blood oxygen is usually reduced in extremes
of temperatures, cold in this case. ‘Sicklers’ as patients are often referred to, should be vigilant and keep warm as much as possible
to prevent crises. Because of the dusty atmosphere, there is need to imbibe healthy food preservation culture especially food
hawkers such as fruits and soya sellers to prevent food born diseases. Fruits and vegetables should be properly washed before
eating. Our drinking water containers should also be properly covered. The Harmattan is a natural hazard that we have to contain
with. That not withstanding, man’s alteration of his natural environment, help fuel these natural hazards with attendant health
consequences. Desert encroachment by human activities in form of deforestation must be discouraged by the relevant authorities. It
is not enough to observe ceremonial tree planting campaigns yearly without devising a means of nurturing them. Alternative means
of fuel such as coal would go a long way in reducing the societal demand for fire wood for cooking. Environmental sanitation and
enacting and enforcing laws to regulate environmental pollution from industrial bye products
are all measures that will minimize the adverse health effect of this natural hazard. Indeed, there is no weather that would fully be
accepted by all humans no matter how favourable it is. God in his wisdom alternate weathers to suit all His creatures and not only
man. Our challenge is to live to adapt to the not too favourable weather by adopting personal and collective measures to maximize
the health benefits accrued to it and minimize the opposite.
...I wish you a Healthy and Safe Harmattan period!.