The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is calling for stricter enforcement of the country’s air quality standards, warning that rising pollution is pushing respiratory illnesses to alarming levels across Ghana.

Health facilities nationwide are reporting spikes in asthma attacks, acute respiratory infections, especially among children, chronic coughs, and severe breathing difficulties.

Officials say these conditions are increasingly linked to prolonged exposure to polluted air, with pregnant women and young children identified as the most vulnerable groups.

Speaking at the Breathe Accra National Stakeholder Convening, Dr. Akosua Gyasi of the Public Health Division of the GHS, said air pollution is not only driving respiratory complications but also contributing significantly to non-communicable diseases.

“We continue to see high numbers of asthma cases, acute respiratory infections in children, chronic cough, and breathing difficulties,” she said.

“Air pollution also contributes to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and other heart-related conditions, which are becoming more common, not only in urban areas but among populations across the country.”

Dr. Gyasi is pushing for rapid expansion of air quality monitoring systems, alongside accelerated efforts to shift toward cleaner energy sources and low-emission transportation.