Harmattan is here again with the harsh weather condition.
The hamattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the Gulf of Guinea.
Research has shown that during harmattan, humidity drops as low as 15 per cent. According to study published in environmental health insight, the harmattan wind collects dust as it passes over the deseart as it blows across the sahara that pollutes the atmosphere. The harmattan season comes with some health associated issues such as frequent headache, cough, cold, sore throat, and other disoreder causing discomfort to the body. Studies also associated harmattan weather to diseases such as rheumatism, cardic arrest, arthaithis. Nasal congestion and pneumonia are also common during this period.
However James Asoke, medical doctor sherrif hospital lagos, in an interview advised people to always wear a worm clothings during hamattan to minimix the likelihooh ofcontracting communicable diseases associated with this weather.
He advised that the skin should be well protected against the effect of harmattan which could have vast damage to the body. Another study stressed that during this period, blood pressure rises amomg the hypertensives alongside with a rise in admission for congestive cardic failure and celebrovascular accident CVA.
Blood pressure tends to rise because of the reduced sweating which lead to increase in sodium load, research pointed out.
The study went further to say that the reduced sweating and insensible loss of fluid during this weather that contribut to elevated blood pressure also result in fluid overload, resulting in heart failure. 
During harmattan period, the skin is usually dry accompanying with the cracking of the lips, sole of the feet.
In some African counties, it limits visibility as it comes with a heavy amount of dust.
Oluwajimi Shodipo, a specialist at the University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja said that the harmattan dust increases the cases of respiratory infections such as Asthma, Influenza and Pneumonia.
The dust can also trigger bronchitis.people with certain allergic conditions. However, Shodipo advised people to visit the clinic should they experience such.
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Sources: Vanguardngr.com/harmattan season: health dangers and tips
www.ncbi.nim.nib.gov/the cold dusty harmattan: a season of auguished to cardiologists and patients
guardianngr.com/harmattan season.
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