Health Alert: Air Quality in Accra reaches alarming rate, experts recommends wearing of nose marks

Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is facing serious air quality problem, as the levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the city have reached alarming rates, according to an Air Quality Index report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

By this, experts from the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), have advised the public to begin the wearing of nose masks in public areas for protection.

According to the agency, the country’s current airspace is polluted with dust such that the air quality has become hazardous to breathe.

The quality of air in Ghana’s capital, Accra, remains poor and high above national standards and World Health Organisation (WHO) requirements.

As of February 6, 2024, the IQAir report pegged Ghana’s Air Quality Index (AQI) at 282(μg/m³) microgram per cubic metre of air, which translates that the quality of air in the country is very unhealthy for the public.

IQAir also noted that the Particulate Matter (PM2.5) concentration in Accra is currently 46.5 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value.

The report for today, is the worst than what was recorded on February 5, 2024, and days earlier.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also in a similar study in February 5, 2024, pegged the quality of air at 245, which also suggests that the air presently in the capital is very unhealthy for breathing.

The major contributors to poor air quality in the capital include dust, vehicle emissions, and burning of waste, among others.

Beyond the wearing of nose masks, the public is also advised to avoid outdoor exercises and also close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor air.

NW/OGB